Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed surprise at the criticism surrounding the club’s management of Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli’s summer exits, insisting that he held a direct, grateful conversation with Jesus before his €15 million transfer to Barcelona, despite Jesus claiming “nobody told me anything” about training away from the first team. Arteta also addressed questions raised by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright regarding Martinelli being dropped from opening matchday squads prior to his £60 million move to Al Hilal.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• Addressing the media on Friday, Arteta expressed genuine astonishment at the backlash, maintaining firmly that he had engaged in direct, face-to-face communication with Jesus prior to the forward’s exit.

  • Direct Dialogue: Arteta stated he was “very surprised” by the controversy because he had held a personal, individual conversation with Jesus directly inside the dressing room.

  • Mutual Gratitude: While acknowledging a potential disconnect in communication—stating, “I don’t know what words were said; it is fine”—Arteta emphasized that the actual sentiment shared between them was centered entirely on mutual gratitude.

  • Unpredicted Realities: The manager noted his understanding that delivering unexpected or difficult news inherently triggers emotional reactions from players.

  Expanding on his broader managerial philosophy, Arteta drew parallels to Leandro Trossard, who departed Arsenal for Besiktas in an €18 million deal this summer but notably returned to the Emirates Stadium last Sunday to witness Arsenal’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Chelsea. Acknowledging the friction inherent in tough decisions, Arteta reflected on the necessity of playing the enforcer role when squad directions shift.

  • The Role of the Enforcer: Arteta accepted the burden of unpopular choices, remarking that “Somebody has to be the bad cop” and asserting his readiness to shoulder that responsibility.

  • Long-Term Relations: Emphasizing that time heals transitional friction, Arteta pointed to Trossard’s warm return to the dressing room months later as proof that underlying relationships remain positive despite difficult departures.

  • Hope for Reconciliation: Concluding his remarks on the fractured exits, Arteta expressed optimism that relationships with other departed players would eventually mirror the enduring goodwill seen with Trossard once the dust settles.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and his party have approached the Federal High Court in Abuja (suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026) seeking permission to amend their lawsuit aimed at disqualifying President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the 2027 presidential election. The legal challenge centers on allegations that President Tinubu submitted a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• • Application for Amendment: Filed via a motion on notice before Justice Inyang Ekwo, the plaintiffs requested leave to amend their originating summons—specifically to correct errors like updating the INEC form nomenclature from Form CF001 to Form EC9A, elaborate on fraud details with a written deposition by Atiku, and attach clearer copies of exhibits unavailable at initial filing on August 14.

  • Defendants’ Defense: President Tinubu and the APC, through a joint counter affidavit filed on September 9 by APC Director of Legal Services Sanusi Samaila, denied submitting any forged documents or Form CF001 to INEC, asserting that the NYSC has never disclaimed Tinubu’s discharge certificate.

  • Legal Arguments: Counsel for the defendants, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), argued that forgery is a criminal allegation requiring proof beyond reasonable doubt under Section 135(1) of the Evidence Act, noting that the plaintiffs failed to provide evidence or a disclaimer from the NYSC or produce both the original and forged documents.

  The defendants have urged the court to uphold their preliminary objection and dismiss the suit as incompetent and hypothetical. The Federal High Court has scheduled September 28 for the hearing.

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, speaking through his Chief Press Secretary Tersoo Kula at the government house in Makurdi, alleged that his predecessor, Samuel Ortom, is secretly backing Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), for the 2027 election despite publicly claiming to support President Bola Tinubu. To support this assertion, the Chief Press Secretary claimed to possess pictorial evidence showing Ortom quickly using his SUV to transport Obi away after Obi was attacked by suspected thugs during a visit to Benue the previous week.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• • 2027 Power Struggle: Governor Alia dismissed Ortom’s political alliance with former Attorney General of the Federation Michael Kaase Aondoakaa to capture power in 2027 as an empty pursuit aimed at regaining political relevance.

  • Critique of Past Administration: Alia lambasted Ortom’s tenure as eight wasted years devoid of infrastructural projects or development at the local government level, while highlighting unpaid salaries for civil servants and denied entitlements for pensioners.

  • Electoral Advice: The governor urged the people of Benue State to reject the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the upcoming general elections.