Wike's son is reportedly considering a bid for the Obio-Akpor Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives, representing Rivers State, ahead of the 2027 general elections. He's said to be around 25 years old and is preparing to challenge the current seat holder, Rt. Hon. Kingsley Chinda, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.  Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, hasn't officially commented on his son's political aspirations. However, Wike has been open about his influence in Rivers State politics and has maintained that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is his political son, despite their past rift. 

Osborn Umahi, son of Nigeria's Minister of Works, David Umahi, has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) and picked the party's chairmanship nomination form for Ohaozara Local Government Area in Ebonyi State. He was received by APC state executive members, led by Chairman Stanley Okoro-Emegha, who praised Osborn as an intelligent and capable young politician. Osborn expressed gratitude to party leaders and Ohaozara residents for their support, pledging to prioritize youth empowerment, human capital development, grassroots economic growth, infrastructure, and security if elected. He also vowed to build on his father's legacy in infrastructure development. The APC local government primaries are scheduled for January 25, and if Osborn wins, he'll contest the August local government election against other parties' candidates.

Atiku Abubakar's son, Abubakar Atiku Abubakar (Abba), has joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and pledged support for President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid in 2027. Abba, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announced his decision at the National Assembly, citing Tinubu's leadership style and the APC's Renewed Hope Agenda as reasons for his move. He also renamed his political group, formerly Haske Atiku Organisation, to Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation. Atiku Abubakar, Abba's father, described his son's decision as "entirely personal" and emphasized his commitment to democracy, stating, "As a democrat, I do not coerce my own children in matters of conscience, and I certainly will not coerce Nigerians".

Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea has spoken out after facing backlash for his officiating in Nigeria's 4-2 penalty shootout loss to Morocco in the AFCON semi-finals. Laryea, who became the first Ghanaian referee to officiate an AFCON semi-final since 1972, was met with criticism from Nigerian fans who felt he favored Morocco. When approached by a Nigerian journalist, Laryea responded calmly, saying, "It's football".  Some of the controversy surrounding Laryea's officiating includes: - *Calvin Bassey's Yellow Card*: Laryea booked Bassey for a foul on Brahim Díaz, which many felt was a wrong call. - *One-Sided Officiating*: Nigeria committed 29 fouls, receiving two yellow cards, while Morocco committed 19 fouls with no yellow cards. Laryea's Instagram account was reportedly deactivated after being flooded with abusive comments from Nigerian fans.

Xabi Alonso was fired by Real Madrid after a tumultuous seven-month stint as head coach, following a 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. Before his departure, Alonso had expressed optimism about Trent Alexander-Arnold's performance, saying, "I think we will see a better Trent... We need him, it's his first year, and it's normal to have this adaptation period".  Alonso's exit was reportedly due to internal discord, including clashes with senior players like Vinicius Jr., and a string of poor results. Alvaro Arbeloa, a former Real Madrid player and coach of the B team, has taken over as interim manager.

Nigerians will start paying a 7.5% Value Added Tax (VAT) on mobile bank transfers and USSD transactions from January 19, 2026. This is due to a government-backed regulatory directive aimed at expanding the tax net and boosting non-oil revenue. The VAT will apply to service fees charged by banks and financial institutions for electronic transactions, not the transferred amount itself. Services that won't attract VAT include interest on deposits and savings.  Here's a breakdown of what's happening: - *VAT on Banking Services*: 7.5% VAT on mobile banking fees, USSD transaction fees, and card issuance fees - *Stamp Duty*: ₦50 charge on electronic transfers of ₦10,000 and above, payable by the sender - *Tax Purpose*: To improve tax collection and grow non-oil revenue The Nigerian government has clarified that this isn't a price increase by banks, but rather a statutory requirement for VAT collection and remittance. 

Morocco emerged victorious in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, beating Nigeria 4-2 on penalties after a tense 0-0 draw in Rabat. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was the hero, saving two penalties, including efforts from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi. Youssef En-Nesyri scored the decisive spot-kick, securing Morocco's place in the final against Senegal. The match itself was a closely fought affair, with Morocco creating more chances but Nigeria's Stanley Nwabali making crucial saves. The Super Eagles had the best scoring record in the competition but struggled to break down Morocco's defense. Morocco's win marks their first AFCON final appearance since 2004.

The trial of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and others over the alleged N33.2 billion arms procurement fraud has revealed how defendants allegedly used funds meant for arms procurement to buy properties and foreign currencies. According to EFCC's first prosecution witness, Michael Adarikun, on April 17, 2015, ONSA transferred N600 million to Acacia Holdings Limited, which had a balance of only N27,094 before the transfer. The funds were allegedly disbursed to various companies, including Medical Plastic Limited, where Dasuki's wife is a majority shareholder.  Some of the transactions include: - *Land Purchases*: N60 million was transferred to Hidayatul Atfaal Islamic Academy for the purchase of 3.62 hectares of land in Kyami District, Abuja, valued at N120 million. - *Property Purchases*: N50 million was disbursed to Squad Developers Nigeria Limited for 118.132 hectares of land at Stadium Layout, Kwali, Abuja, and N25 million was transferred to Zava...

Nigeria's Super Eagles secured a 2-0 win over Algeria, booking their spot in the AFCON 2025 semifinals! Victor Osimhen opened the scoring with a header just after halftime, and Akor Adams doubled the lead in the 57th minute.  This impressive performance sets up a semifinal clash with hosts Morocco.  The Super Eagles dominated the match, with Osimhen and Ademola Lookman causing constant threats in attack. Algeria struggled to contain Nigeria's pressure, especially in the second half. Osimhen's goal was a perfect display of timing, athleticism, and composure under pressure.  Nigeria's next challenge is Morocco, and they'll look to maintain their unbeaten streak in the tournament.