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Rooney Backs VAR After West Ham Goal Ruled Out In Arsenal Win.
Former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has backed the decision to disallow West Ham United’s stoppage-time equaliser against Arsenal, saying match officials handled the situation correctly in a key Premier League clash.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
West Ham thought they had earned a dramatic late point when Callum Wilson found the net in added time. The goal would have dented Arsenal’s title push and boosted West Ham’s survival hopes.
However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was ruled out due to a foul by Pablo Fornals on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
Arsenal went on to secure a narrow 1-0 victory, extending their lead at the top of the table to five points over Manchester City, while West Ham stayed in 18th position, just behind Tottenham Hotspur.
Reacting on The Wayne Rooney Show, as reported by BBC Sport, Rooney said he agreed with the decision despite the controversy surrounding it.
He explained that the contact on the goalkeeper was clear and had a direct impact on the play.
“It’s a clear foul. You’re going to obviously get a lot of people saying they think it should have stood because it’s controversial… but I think it’s the right decision,” he said.
Rooney added that the arm across Raya’s face clearly affected his ability to contest the ball.
He also praised VAR for intervening in such a high-stakes moment, calling it an example of the system working properly in a major match.
“It’s the one time I actually think VAR has done a really good job in such an important game,” he noted.
The former striker also commented on what he sees as long-standing protection given to goalkeepers by referees.
He said he has often been frustrated during his playing days by how easily fouls are awarded in their favour.
Rooney argued that goalkeepers benefit from physical advantages in aerial duels and are often awarded free-kicks even in minimal contact situations, making the rules difficult for attackers.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) screening committee for the Rivers State House of Assembly has dismissed reports circulating online about a purported list of cleared and disqualified aspirants for the 2027 elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
reports that the committee said the list being circulated did not originate from its official process and should be ignored.
Earlier reports had claimed that after screening 98 aspirants, the committee released the names of successful and unsuccessful candidates.
According to the claims, 65 aspirants allegedly associated with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara were not cleared, while 33 aspirants believed to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, were reportedly cleared.
However, in a disclaimer issued on Monday and signed by the committee’s secretary, Hon. Tanko Yamowa, the APC described the list as false, unauthorised, and misleading.
“The attention of the party leadership has been drawn to the circulation of a purported list of cleared and uncleared aspirants for the Rivers State House of Assembly currently making rounds across various media platforms,” the statement read.
“We wish to categorically state that the said publication is false, unauthorised, and does not emanate from the appropriate party authorities.”
The committee explained that the screening exercise, chaired by Rt. Hon. Muraina Ajibola, had only recently concluded and that no official list had yet been released.
“It is important to note that the screening exercise conducted by the committee headed by Muraina Ajibola was concluded less than 24 hours ago, and no official list has been released by the party at this time,” the statement added.
The APC stressed that it remains committed to its established procedures, rules, and timelines regarding the release of screening outcomes.
It said any verified information concerning the status of aspirants would be communicated through official party channels at the appropriate time.
The party also urged members, aspirants, supporters, and the public to disregard the circulating list, describing it as the work of mischief-makers seeking to create confusion and tension within the party.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Ken Asogwa, has acknowledged that the departure of the party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, left a significant gap within the opposition party.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
reports that Asogwa made this known on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily while reacting to Obi’s recent alliance with the African Democratic Congress (ADC)-led coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He admitted that the Labour Party could not overlook the weight of Obi’s exit, describing him as a major force within the party.
“We can’t close our eyes to the fact that we lost Peter Obi, and he was a colossus within the party,” Asogwa said.
He added that Obi’s departure created a noticeable vacuum in the party’s structure and political influence.
According to him, the party had anticipated Obi’s eventual exit well before it became official on December 31, and had already begun putting measures in place to manage the impact.
“Before his departure, the rumour was already out there that he was leaving. Before he eventually left, the new leadership had already taken a number of steps to cushion the effects of that departure,” he stated.
Asogwa explained that following Obi’s exit, the party returned to the drawing board to rebuild and strengthen its internal structure.
He said the Labour Party identified its strongest institutional base in organised labour, particularly the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
According to him, efforts were made to restore and strengthen relationships with both bodies after previous leadership challenges had created a disconnect.
“We discovered that the greatest potential that the Labour Party has is the institutional members it has in the name of NLC and TUC,” he said.
“We went back to marry them and successfully got them back. The former leadership alienated them, but thankfully we were able to bring them back into the fold.”
Despite Obi’s departure, Asogwa maintained that the Labour Party still possesses the political strength and organisational capacity to produce another strong presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The Labour Party that produced the former presidential candidate has capacity, even better capacity today, to produce someone of commensurate stature,” he added.
Relatives and supporters of military officers currently standing trial over an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu on Monday staged a peaceful protest at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
reports that the demonstrators called for an open trial and the release of the detained officers.
The protesters gathered at the ministry’s entrance, singing solidarity songs and displaying placards with messages such as “Tinubu Release Our Heroes,” “Lt Col C Chima 419 Witness,” and “AGF, Stop the Kangaroo Court Martial Now.”
Security operatives, including officers of the Nigeria Police Force, prevented them from entering the ministry and restricted the protest to the main gate.
The demonstration comes amid rising concerns over the handling of the alleged coup case, especially following reports that journalists were recently barred from covering proceedings involving some of the accused officers.
Speaking to journalists, protest leader Justice Isimili said many of the demonstrators were family members of the detained officers who had travelled from different parts of the country.
“Many of the people who turned out today are relatives of our heroes. Some came from Jos, Kano, and Sokoto to protest the continued detention of the alleged coup suspects who are our fathers, uncles, and brothers,” he said.
He appealed to President Tinubu to show compassion and intervene in the matter.
“All we are asking is for the President, who is our father, to temper justice with mercy. We want him to come to our aid. Many of us have not been able to rest or do anything because of our loved ones who are still being held,” he added.
Isimili also criticised what he described as the secrecy surrounding the court-martial process, arguing that family members, journalists, and the public should be allowed access to proceedings.
“We want an open trial instead of what they are doing in the name of court martial, where family members, journalists, and the public are denied access. All we are interested in is their freedom,” he stated.
Another protester, Abdullahi Kale, who said he travelled from Sokoto, warned that continued detention could generate political backlash, alleging that northern military officers were being unfairly targeted.
A female protester, Habibat Muhammad, who attended with her one-year-old child, appealed for leniency, lamenting the hardship many affected families have faced since the arrests about eight months ago.
Responding on behalf of the ministry, an unnamed director urged the protesters to remain peaceful and submit a formal letter outlining their concerns.
She advised them to return in an organised manner, suggesting that only two representatives should submit their petition to avoid misinterpretation.
“This is what we told them. They should go back and put their house in order before coming back,” she said.
The protest follows previous demonstrations by families demanding access to the detained officers, their release, or immediate arraignment through a transparent legal process.
Controversy around the case intensified recently when journalists were reportedly prevented from covering bail proceedings for six suspects at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The detained individuals are facing charges including treason, terrorism, money laundering, and failure to disclose information.
While some serving officers are being tried before a military court-martial, others are facing prosecution in civilian courts.
Families of the suspects continue to insist on access to their loved ones and a transparent judicial process in line with constitutional provisions.
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