Galatasaray is intensifying efforts to retain Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen as major European clubs, particularly Arsenal and Manchester United, prepare substantial offers for the star. The Turkish champions previously secured Osimhen on a permanent deal for a record-breaking €75 million. Since his arrival, the 27-year-old has been instrumental in the club’s Super Lig title success and their UEFA Champions League performance, leading Galatasaray to reject a €120 million verbal offer from Atlético Madrid.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• The club is reportedly planning to offer Osimhen the captain’s armband for the 2026/27 season, a move supported by head coach Okan Buruk, who has lauded the striker’s leadership and work ethic.

• If current captain Mauro Icardi departs, Osimhen is expected to take over the iconic No. 9 shirt.

• The club aims to permanently establish his leadership role to demonstrate his high value, despite his previous humility in declining the captaincy during a match to respect senior teammate İlkay Gündoğan.

Competition from the Premier League remains intense:

• Manchester United: New manager Michael Carrick views Osimhen as a priority target, particularly with Joshua Zirkzee expected to exit. The club is reportedly prepared to bid between £110 million and £130 million.

• Arsenal: Manager Mikel Arteta is pursuing the striker, with sporting director Andrea Berta reportedly discussing a potential deal with Galatasaray president Dursun Özbek. The total financial package for this transfer could reach £200 million when including wages and bonuses.

• Chelsea: The club maintains an interest in the player but is currently proceeding with more caution than its rivals.

Osimhen, who is currently the highest-paid player in the history of Turkish football with an annual salary of approximately €15 million, continues to be a central figure in European transfer discussions.

• Passing of Hon. Mohammad Wanzam: The Bauchi State House of Assembly announced the death of Hon. Mohammad Wanzam, the lawmaker representing the Sakwa Constituency, who passed away on Sunday morning. Hon. Wanzam also served as the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations. The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y. Sulaiman, paid tribute to the late legislator, praising his dedicated service to both his constituency and the state, and expressed prayers for his soul to be granted Aljannatul Firdaus.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    The funeral prayer for the late lawmaker was scheduled for 11:00 a.m. this Sunday at the Gwallaga Juma’at Mosque in Bauchi.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• Passing of Audu Sule Katagum: Additionally, the former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Audu Sule Katagum, has died at the age of 69. He served as deputy governor from 2018 to 2019 under the administration of former Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar. His passing was confirmed early Saturday by Shamsuddeen Lukman Abubakar, an aide to the former governor.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has formally requested that individuals and observers alleging electoral misconduct during the recent Ekiti State governorship election provide concrete proof to support their claims. This directive, issued by the Force’s New Media Officer, Aliyu Giwa, was a direct response to a viral image posted by journalist Oseni Rufai that depicted two policewomen near a polling station in Ikere Local Government Area.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

While social media users accused the officers in the photo of assisting with “vote buying,” the NPF maintains a firm stance on the matter:

• Official Defense: Giwa asserted that the officers were merely performing their constitutional responsibility of maintaining security at the polling unit.

• Call for Evidence: Emphasizing that serious allegations should not rely on photographs alone, Giwa urged the public to submit substantial evidence for investigation, stating that “facts strengthen democracy, and assumptions weaken it”.

• Context of the Election: This controversy arose following the declaration of Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner. Governor Oyebanji secured re-election with 319,224 votes, surpassing rivals from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

• Official Position on Conduct: Despite reports of vote-buying allegations from opposition parties, the NPF, President Bola Tinubu, and the APC have characterized the election as a peaceful process, noting that security personnel were strategically deployed solely to ensure public order and safety.