Portugal secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Croatia on Friday, advancing to a Round of 16 clash against Spain in a match imbued with deep emotional significance. As the game concluded, the team marked the first anniversary of Diogo Jota’s passing with a poignant tribute. Captain Cristiano Ronaldo donned a shirt featuring Jota’s number 21, which the team lifted together on the pitch in honor of the late forward.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Earlier in the match, the stadium in Toronto observed a moving moment as Jota’s image was displayed during the national anthem, leaving an visibly emotional Ronaldo—who appeared in 32 matches alongside Jota—deeply moved. Ahead of the tournament, manager Roberto Martinez had even included Jota as an honorary “plus-one” player in his squad, stating, “Diogo is our sun and our light” and adding, “We want to win the World Cup for him”.

Remembering Jota

Friday marked exactly one year since the tragedy on July 3, 2025, when Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, were killed in a car accident in Spain. The 28-year-old Liverpool forward had passed away only 11 days after marrying his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso. Reports indicate that Jota had been traveling toward Liverpool for pre-season via car and ferry, following medical advice to avoid air travel after a minor surgery, when his vehicle reportedly lost control due to a tire blowout while overtaking.

The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially rejected any possibility of forming alliances with other political parties for the 2027 general elections. During a press briefing at the party’s secretariat in Umuahia, state Chairman Abraham Amah emphasized that the PDP remains a strong, united entity fully prepared to contest the elections independently. Amah clarified that any claims suggesting the party is seeking coalition partners are unauthorized and do not reflect the party’s official position.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Amah confirmed that the party has already uploaded its candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal and will not be offering its platform to any other group. Addressing internal matters, he dismissed reports of factionalism and noted that the leadership is actively working to reconcile aspirants who participated in the recent primary elections to ensure a unified front.

In a related development, the Abia State PDP governorship candidate, Kelechi Anosike, has unveiled plans to prioritize workers’ welfare if elected. Anosike pledged to implement a minimum wage of ₦90,000 for state civil servants.

He further criticized the current state administration’s salary payment system, alleging that the government has failed to implement the ₦70,000 minimum wage uniformly. Anosike promised that his administration would address these disparities and establish a more equitable salary structure for the state’s workforce.

Journalist Sumner Sambo has asserted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lacks the authority to dictate which individuals a political party may field as candidates. Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time, Sambo argued that INEC’s function is limited to acting as a neutral witness to the candidate selection process.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

He explained that the commission’s duty is to document the process and preserve that information for potential court use, rather than interfering in party nominations. Sambo maintained that if no legal dispute arises, INEC must accept the party’s choice, noting that any aggrieved party claiming to have won must seek redress through the courts.

Update on Nomination Portal Access

Amid the ongoing preparations for the 2027 general elections, INEC has distributed access codes to nearly all registered political parties, allowing them to upload candidate details to the official nomination portal. As of Tuesday evening, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) remained the only party that had not yet collected its code.

A notable point of public interest involved the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), which was granted access despite a standing court judgment against the party. An INEC official clarified that the commission granted this access after taking judicial notice of the NDC’s pending appeal and application for a stay of execution. The official emphasized that this decision was made to ensure fairness while the legal matter remains unresolved, and it does not prejudice the final outcome of the case.