The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has ruled out the possibility of postponing the 23rd National Sports Festival, maintaining that the competition will commence as scheduled on November 28 in Enugu State.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Olopade gave the assurance during an inspection of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and other facilities earmarked for the event, expressing satisfaction with the level of preparations.

He disclosed that the commission had secured the necessary funding and equipment for the festival, adding that work on outstanding facilities would be completed before the opening ceremony.

According to him, the swimming pool is expected to be ready by November 18, while the laying of the stadium’s tartan track will commence in the coming days. He also confirmed that buses required to transport athletes during the competition were ready.

“In the coming days, the tartan track will be laid, and buses to move the athletes are ready,” he said.

The NSC chief also criticised reports suggesting that the festival might be postponed, describing such claims as inconsistent with earlier announcements by the commission and the Enugu State Government.

“When Lagos asked for postponement, we came out confidently to tell the public. Heaven did not fall,” he said.

“Suggesting that it will be postponed after announcement from Enugu State and NSC suggests that we are deceiving the nation. Not nice at all.”

Olopade further revealed that the Enugu 2026 edition was projected to become the most heavily sponsored National Sports Festival in the competition’s history, with sponsorship expected to range between ₦12 billion and ₦15 billion.

President Bola Tinubu is expected to officially declare the festival open on November 28, while about 12,000 athletes and officials are scheduled to arrive in Enugu from November 26.

Representatives from Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory will participate in various sporting events during the competition.

Olopade commended Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah for his commitment to hosting the festival, describing the state as a safe and welcoming destination for athletes and other participants.

Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi has expressed his delight after scoring his first Premier League goal for Coventry City in their 3-1 victory over Sunderland on Saturday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Awoniyi doubled Coventry’s advantage eight minutes before half-time at the CBS Arena, helping Frank Lampard’s side secure their third consecutive league win.

The Nigerian forward praised his teammates for their collective performance, explaining that the team’s counter-pressing approach played a key role in creating the opportunity for his goal.

Speaking to the Premier League’s official website, Awoniyi said the most important thing was securing all three points, adding that the team executed its game plan effectively.

“I think the most important thing is the three points. I think the team from the outset played good together, the gameplan worked,” he said.

The victory extended Coventry’s perfect start to the campaign, with the newly promoted side collecting nine points from their opening three matches.

Lampard’s men will aim to maintain their winning streak when they travel to face Everton in their next league fixture.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has praised Fulham’s display despite their 1-1 draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday, October 31.

Aston Villa opened the scoring six minutes before the half-time break through Nicolas Jackson, who converted an assist from Johan Manzambi.

Fulham responded after the hour mark, with an own goal by Zion Suzuki earning the visitors a share of the points.

Bassey expressed satisfaction with his teammates’ performance but believed Fulham could have secured victory after failing to convert several clear-cut chances.

Speaking to Fulham’s official website, the defender acknowledged the difficulty of playing away against a strong Aston Villa side and commended his teammates for their efforts.

“A good away performance, we know how hard it is to come here against a team with a lot of quality. I’m proud of the boys, they did well,” Bassey said.

“We should have got more, missed two chances inside the six-yard box.”

The draw extended Fulham’s unbeaten run in the league to three matches, taking their tally to seven points from their last three outings.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why the name of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, is missing from its updated list of candidates.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The commission said Gwarzo had been cleared to contest the 2027 governorship election but could not publish his name because of a court order.

A senior INEC official, who spoke with Daily Trust, disclosed that a Federal High Court sitting in Kano issued an ex parte order on October 27, directing the commission not to upload the names of any NDC candidates.

“I thought I told you he had been cleared, subject only to the final outcome of an ex parte order by a Federal High Court in Kano on October 27 that we should not download the name of any candidate for NDC. In other words, we have no issue with him,” the official said.

A review of INEC’s updated list released on Saturday showed that the governorship and deputy governorship positions for the NDC in Kano State were marked “Court Order”.

The development had generated confusion, particularly after reports emerged that the commission had restored Gwarzo’s name following its review of petitions from candidates omitted from the earlier list.

On Thursday, INEC considered complaints arising from its October 10 publication, upholding 66 petitions and rejecting 64 others concerning governorship and State House of Assembly candidates.

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, was among those whose names were restored. He now appears on the list as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State.