The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has recounted how he played a role in ensuring that Senator Monday Okpebholo emerged as the Governor of Edo State.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Wike made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ meeting of the Rainbow Coalition, where he reflected on the 2024 Edo State governorship election.

The FCT minister said he had resolved not to allow the then-outgoing governor, Godwin Obaseki, to install a successor, despite acknowledging that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, was a strong contender.

According to Wike, the Rainbow Coalition supported Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who eventually defeated Ighodalo in the election.

Wike explained that although Ighodalo was a credible candidate with experience as a bank chairman, he opposed his ambition because he believed his victory would amount to Obaseki returning to power through a successor.

He said Ighodalo visited him on more than three occasions in an attempt to secure his support, but he remained firm in his position.

“I said I would not allow Obaseki to produce a successor, even though the candidate was a very good candidate, a very good candidate who was the chairman of a bank.

“He came to see me more than three times, but I told him, ‘Listen, I know you are a good candidate, but for this election, I am sorry because this election is between us and the man who is bringing you, called Obaseki.

“‘Returning you would be like bringing him back, so I am sorry, you have to fail.’ And he failed,” Wike said.

Meanwhile, Okpebholo Threatens To Arrest Road Contractor

In a related development, Governor Monday Okpebholo has threatened to arrest the contractor handling a section of the Benin-Abraka Road over allegations that the firm abandoned the project after receiving payment from the immediate past administration.

The governor issued the warning on Friday while addressing members of the APC in Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode Local Government Areas during his ongoing tour aimed at strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to a statement released on Saturday by his Chief Press Secretary, Patrick Ebojele, Okpebholo alleged that the contractor was a friend of former governor Godwin Obaseki.

The governor said he had intended to intervene in the road project but was constrained by contractual agreements entered into by the previous administration.

He further explained that the project had been awarded to two contractors, noting that one of the firms was making progress on its assigned section, which he said was approximately 75 per cent complete.

Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone has expressed confidence that Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman will rediscover his best form following a challenging start to the 2026/2027 season.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Super Eagles star has scored just once in nine appearances across all competitions, raising concerns about his performances. Lookman was also substituted at half-time during Atlético Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Alavés last weekend.

According to Into The Calderon, Simeone admitted that the 28-year-old had yet to reach the level expected of him but noted that fluctuations in performance are a normal part of every footballer’s career.

“Every player goes through their own phases. Obviously, I don’t think there’s a player who can maintain a level of ten all the time,” the Argentine manager said.

He acknowledged that Lookman was currently experiencing a difficult period but pointed out that the forward had previously demonstrated his quality on the pitch.

“There’s always a dip, and it’s clear that Ademola Lookman is going through a phase where he’s not performing as he’d like to and as we’d like to see him, because he’s shown us what he’s capable of. But he works every day to become that player, the dribbler,” Simeone added.

The Atlético Madrid boss also encouraged the Nigerian international to remain confident in his attacking abilities, urging him to continue taking on defenders even when his attempts do not always succeed.

According to Simeone, Lookman must maintain his attacking instincts and keep pushing forward rather than allowing unsuccessful dribbles to affect his confidence.

“He needs to keep dribbling, he needs to lose the ball, he needs to keep pushing forward, because he’ll do well, because he’s got what it takes and because he’s a goalscorer,” the Atlético manager stated.

Simeone’s comments underline his belief in Lookman’s ability to overcome his current struggles and make a stronger impact for the Spanish club as the season progresses.

Divers and rescue workers have intensified efforts to recover the flight recorder and the remains of victims one week after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft crashed into a swamp in Igbokoda, Ondo State.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The ATR-42 aircraft crashed on October 5 in Ilaje Local Government Area, killing all 25 people on board.

According to Premium Times, recovery teams have retrieved aircraft fragments and human remains from the crash site. However, identifying the victims has proved difficult because of the condition of the recovered remains.

During a visit to the site on Monday, the newspaper observed that rescuers were still searching the muddy waters for the aircraft’s black box. The report added that the team might have identified the precise location where the aircraft went down.

A swamp buggy operator participating in the recovery operation disclosed that rescuers had retrieved part of a body believed to belong to the pilot from a section of the wreckage near a tyre.

The operator, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said the force of the crash had shattered the aircraft into pieces, making the recovery of intact bodies unlikely.

He said, “We found the body of the pilot, but it was cut in the middle and half of it is what was brought out.

“Apart from that, there have been little pieces of the plane here and there. We have little hope of finding anything like the main body because the impact shattered the plane to pieces.

“The place is deep, and much of it is muddy. We are now focused on finding the black box. That is the directive we have, and after we find it, I would not know what next will happen.”

Meanwhile, technicians were seen at the riverbank assembling flotation equipment for swamp buggies, also known as amphibious excavators, to assist the ongoing recovery efforts.

One of the technicians explained that the attachments would enable the machines to stay afloat and move more effectively through the challenging swamp terrain.

“Today, we attached the floaters of a swamp buggy which was taken to the site for work. Once we are done with this one (pointing to the one under construction), the same thing will be done,” he said.