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Lookman Ends Dispute With Atalanta, Returns to Training Ahead of Juventus Clash
BERGAMO, Italy— Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman has ended a two-month standoff with Atalanta and rejoined first-team training, giving the Serie A club a boost after its heavy 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Lookman, 27, had been absent from training since July after submitting a transfer request. The winger was frustrated over unfulfilled promises of a move abroad, with bids from Inter Milan and PSG reportedly turned down by the club. His absence created tension during the preseason and the start of the 2025-26 campaign.
On Thursday, Lookman met with new head coach Ivan Juric to discuss his future. The two reached an agreement for him to return, with Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi making clear the player must be fully committed to reintegration.
“Ademola is an important player for us. What matters now is focus, professionalism and helping the team move forward,” Percassi said in a brief statement.
The timing of his return is crucial. Atalanta has gone three matches without a win this season, raising pressure on Juric in his first weeks in charge. The club’s defeat to PSG on Tuesday underlined weaknesses in attack and defense, leaving fans concerned ahead of Sunday’s high-profile Serie A meeting with Juventus.
Lookman has been one of Atalanta’s most influential players since joining from RB Leipzig in 2022. He has scored 55 goals in 118 appearances, including a stunning hat trick in the Europa League final last season against Bayer Leverkusen that secured Atalanta’s first major European trophy.
His scoring ability and pace on the wings have made him a fan favorite in Bergamo and a regular starter for Nigeria’s national team. Supporters had voiced frustration over the dispute, with many urging both sides to find a solution.
Juric, who took over in July after Gian Piero Gasperini’s departure, emphasized the need for unity. “We cannot afford distractions,” he told Italian reporters. “Lookman is back, and now we must concentrate on Juventus. The team comes first.”
The forward’s decision to rejoin training also ends speculation of a possible late move before the January transfer window. While PSG and Inter remain interested, club officials have stressed that Lookman will not be sold during the current campaign.
Atalanta faces a demanding schedule with league matches, domestic cup commitments, and a tough Champions League group. Lookman’s presence is expected to ease some of the attacking burden on Gianluca Scamacca and Teun Koopmeiners.
For Lookman, the return marks a chance to rebuild trust with teammates and supporters. “I am happy to be back with the group. My focus is on working hard and helping Atalanta win,” he said in a statement released through the club.
The match against Juventus could offer an early test of his readiness. With Atalanta still searching for its first victory of the season, all eyes will be on Lookman to see if he can deliver the spark that has defined his time in Bergamo.
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Enough of the Blackmail: Oyintiloye Challenges Opponents To Face Issues Instead Of Dredging Up Old Sagas.
Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Osun State, has dismissed reports that the United States has revived a drug-trafficking case against President Bola Tinubu, labeling the claims as politically motivated propaganda intended to divert public attention.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In a statement issued in Osogbo, Oyintiloye maintained that no American court has ordered a criminal retrial or found the President guilty. He clarified that the controversial legal filing was merely a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit focused on accessing records from U.S. law enforcement agencies rather than a criminal prosecution, emphasizing that the existence of government files from agencies like the FBI or DEA does not equate to proof of wrongdoing.
Furthermore, Oyintiloye criticized opposition figures for repeatedly recycling old accusations regarding certificate forgery, criminality, and drug allegations instead of debating substantive governance issues or offering concrete policy alternatives. He urged politicians to focus on presenting clear manifestoes and ideas to the electorate ahead of the 2027 elections rather than resorting to personal attacks and blackmail.
Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, noted that political associates of Rabiu Kwankwaso—the vice-presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)—are defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in anticipation of the 2027 presidential election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Keyamo’s statement came as a reaction to Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the APC National Chairman, who received various politicians and their followers into the party on a Saturday in Kano State. Among the notable figures who switched allegiance were Senator Rufa’i Sani Hanga and his loyalists, Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya and his supporters, Senator Mas’ud Eljibrin Doguwa, and Fruit Faction Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Hon. Ali Datti Yako (who also served as the State Deputy Chairman of the NDC). Other prominent arrivals included former Ungogo Local Government Area chairman Hon. Badaru Umar, alongside members affiliated with the Gawuna camp.
In response to these defections, Keyamo took to his X platform to assert that the electorate in Kano State would abandon Kwankwaso and align with the APC come 2027. He commented on the steady stream of Kwankwaso’s key allies moving over to the APC, while expressing anticipation for January 16, 2027, under God’s continued grace.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has stated that Governor Seyi Makinde will be held accountable for any state funds utilized in pursuit of his presidential bid.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In an official statement released by its Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Sadare, the ruling party claimed that Makinde—running as the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM)—lacks the necessary qualifications, experience, and strategy required for the 2027 presidency. Dismissing his campaign as a charade, the APC asserted that he will be compelled to refund public resources spent on the doomed venture.
The statement criticized Makinde for promoting a dead-end political campaign, emphasizing that he is being closely watched as he wastes state funds on a structureless party.
In a related development, Adebayo Mutalubi Ojo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former Oyo State Commissioner for Justice, forecasted that Governor Makinde might soon face defections among his loyalists leading up to the 2027 elections. Appearing on the Ibadan-based political podcast OpenForum360, Ojo noted that as December 2026 approaches, the state’s political climate will shift, with several current supporters expected to abandon Makinde and his chosen successor, Bimbo Adekanmbi.
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