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Chelsea captain Reece James has taken a significant step towards returning to action, rejoining the team for full training on Monday. The England right-back has been sidelined for several months, with his last appearance dating back to May.

James' recovery had been hindered by a recent setback, but his return to training signals a positive development for both the player and Chelsea. The 24-year-old has struggled with persistent injury concerns, limiting his appearances for the Blues to just 11 games last season and 24 the previous year.

With James now back in training, he's poised to bolster Chelsea's squad ahead of their crucial clash against Liverpool on Sunday. Under new manager Enzo Maresca, the team will be eager to integrate their captain and key player into the lineup.

James' return to fitness will be a welcome boost for Chelsea, who have missed his defensive prowess and attacking flair. As he regains match fitness, fans can expect James to play a vital role in the team's push for success this season.

President Bola Tinubu has condemned the ill-treatment of the Super Eagles by Libyan authorities, calling for a thorough investigation and disciplinary action from the Confederation of African Football (CAF). In a statement released by his Special Adviser, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu welcomed the team's safe return to Nigeria and praised their resilience amidst the harrowing experience.

Tinubu emphasized that the Libyan authorities willfully violated CAF's statutes and regulations, prompting the Nigerian Football Federation to withdraw from the scheduled match. He commended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Sports Development for their swift response in ensuring the players' safe return.

The President acknowledged football's unifying power and deemed the treatment of the Super Eagles as unsportsmanlike and inhumane. He urged football administrators and enthusiasts to collaborate in preventing similar incidents in the future.

Tinubu's statement underscores Nigeria's commitment to fair play and sportsmanship in international football. By speaking out against the mistreatment, the President reinforces the importance of respecting athletes' dignity and upholding the values of the beautiful game.

Former Scotland international Steve Nicol has made a bold claim that Portugal will not win the 2026 FIFA World Cup if Cristiano Ronaldo remains their starting centre-forward. Nicol's statement comes on the heels of Portugal's impressive 3-1 victory over Poland in the UEFA Nations League.

Despite Ronaldo's remarkable goal-scoring form, including his 906th career goal against Poland, Nicol believes his age will be a significant factor. Ronaldo will be 41 years old when the 2026 World Cup kicks off. Nicol's assertion is clear: "If Cristiano Ronaldo is your starting centre-forward in the World Cup, Portugal will not win it. I will guarantee you that."

Nicol's comments have sparked debate among football fans and pundits, with some arguing that Ronaldo's experience and skill will still make him a valuable asset for Portugal. Others agree that his age may hinder Portugal's chances of winning the World Cup.

Only time will tell if Nicol's prediction holds true. One thing is certain: Cristiano Ronaldo will continue to defy expectations and push his limits as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Maverick singer Seun Kuti has recalled his frustration about not being invited to Afrobeats megastar Davido’s wedding.

DAILY POST recalls that dignitaries from all walks of life attended Davido’s lavish wedding to his wife, Chioma, on June 25, 2024.

Featuring in a recent episode of ‘Curiosity Made Me Ask’ hosted by content creator Bae U Barbie, Kuti disclosed that he couldn’t sleep for a week after Davido snubbed him for his wedding invitees.

He explained that it was painful because Davido and his team used to drink free beer at his family’s bar.

“Davido would come to the African Shrine with 100 guys, and he would drink without paying, but when it was time for his wedding, I didn’t get IV. I was pained, I didn’t sleep for one week,” he said.

Owners of private schools in Enugu State have accused the government of placing a heavy taxation burden on them.

They alleged that the government was shutting down schools that cannot afford the high taxes which range between N450,000 to N2.2 million depending on the size of the school.

Addressing a press conference at the weekend, the pioneer chairman of Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON), Amb. Emeka Agbowo Grahams, said that all entreaties to make the government see reasons had fallen on deaf ears.

He said that before now they used to pay what is called ‘annual renewal fee’ of N30,000 but lamented that the Enugu State Ministry of Education has increased the fee above 200 per cent.

“The issue is that private school owners in Enugu State are being manhandled by a policy.

“The government, through the Ministry of Education came up with a policy of high taxation far beyond what we used to have prior to this administration.

“It used to be N30,000 annual renewal but now we have various taxes that are broken into stages.

“Prior to now, it used to be one and it covers everything but now you have early child tax, one for Junior Secondary School, one for Senior Secondary School and other categories.

“The worst of it is that the provisional approval fee that schools used to pay no longer applies.

“They say you have to register afresh. Let me just say that if you are running early child – that is nursery, primary, Junior and senior secondary school, you are expected to pay close to N2.2 million,” he lamented.

According to him, comparatively other states like Lagos, Rivers and Abuja don’t pay that much.

Grahams pointed out that efforts they have made for a change of heart have not yielded any dividend.

“There was a time they would listen to us but this government is not listening to us.

“Schools are being shut for not paying the fees and once they pay, they are reopened. Their interest is not in the quality or standard of education but money,” he further alleged.

Also speaking, Dr. Ejiofor Godwin, member Enugu State Education Stakeholders and President (PAPS), South East, pointed out that “These heavy taxes do nothing to improve the quality of education but serve only to further burden private school owners.”

Godwin noted that private schools contribute significantly to the state internally generated revenue, adding that they should be encouraged and assisted to grow instead of stifling them.

The private school proprietors also demanded that the government should give at least 3 years for them to improve on structures and facilities in their schools.

They also requested financial and material support to school owners and removal of equal fees payable at the ministry adding that fees should be charged according to the location, financial and numerical strength of each school.

Meanwhile, the counsel to the Private School owners, Barr. Ogbuka JMCC, said that under the Nigerian law, private school owners were not to pay tax because schools fall under Section 18 of the Constitution which stipulates Compulsory Free Education.

He maintained that, “there is no levy or tax for private schools. Anything contrary is nullity.”

Former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi has said nurses and other professionals travelling overseas for greener pastures should not be stopped.

Obi stated this at St Charles Borromeo College of Nursing and Midwifery in Onitsha on Monday.

Obi, who donated money to the institution, noted that education and health are the currencies with which people will transact in the future.

The former Anambra governor, who said Nigeria has over 200 million people, noted that there is no need to restrict people from travelling out of the country for greener pastures.

Rather, he said Nigeria’s leaders should concentrate on training more people as foreign remittances can be a form of revenue for the country

“What we are doing is not charity, we are rather investing in you. We need to invest in knowledge and health because it is the future.

“Investing in you will ensure your greatness. Your profession is lucrative, you’re being looked for all over the world.

“I told Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria that they should stop denying anybody from leaving Nigeria for greener pastures.

“We have 200 million people, let us educate them. Let those who want go out to go and let those who want to stay should stay. Diaspora remittance is also a form of revenue generation.

“If you see me going round trying to donate, it is not anything but because we want to make life better for you all. I came here so I can donate to you. My children will not attend that university, and I can sit down and use the money to add more chieftaincy to my name, but that is not be how to develop the future.

“I will be in college of nursing Anyingba tomorrow, they need my assistance to get accreditation and I will be there to support them, so that they can get it,” Obi said.

The Executives and Congress of the Federal University of Education, COEASU FUE, Kano, have registered complaints against a splinter group from among members who created a parallel Academic Staff Union without recourse to the transition period the Institution is going through.

The Chairman of the Federal University of Education Union, Kano, Dr Ado Muhammad Abdullahi, said while responding to the new splinter group that they are only trying to create chaos and disrupt peace and unity in the ranks of the union by floating a parallel academic staff union.

“We view this as an attempt by a few self-seeking saboteurs to undermine the peaceful and orderly transition process that the Council has already put in place by constituting committees and calling for memorandums from all stakeholders.”

He added, “You might have already noticed that staff unions in the University are happy and have strong confidence in the management’s ability and willingness to reflect positively on the primary concerns of members of staff during the transition process.”

Muhammad said, “It is interesting to note that COEASU still operates legitimately in both Alvan Ikoku University of Education, Owerri and Adeyemi University of Education, Ondo, where the upgrade came more than a year earlier than our Institution. Similarly, COEASU also operates peacefully in FUE, Zaria which was upgraded alongside our own University.

The Chairman acknowledged the right of any lecturer to pull out of the union but warned that “we cannot allow any mischievous attempt at polarizing the University and creating undue animosity and chaos among us.”

”Therefore, in view of the potential threat to peace and the smooth transition of the Institution to its new status, we urge the management to halt any undue rebellion against our Union,” the statement said.

The member representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency, Terseer Ugbor has filed a N1 billion defamatory suit against the Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia.

Also joined as co-defendants in the suit marked MHC/422/2024 are the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Benue State, Mr Tersoo Kula and Isaac Uzaan, identified in the suit as a media aide to the governor.

In the statement of claim, Ugbor claimed that as a responsible representative who has the plight of his constituents at heart, he had written two letters dated October 9th, 2023 and 16th October 2023 to the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, requesting for palliatives to support the displaced victims of herdsmen attacks in Moon, Yaav, Kumakwagh and Mbadura Council Wards of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

The Kwande/Ushongo representative said the humanitarian situation kept increasing with no positive response from NEMA, he decided to write another letter on May 8th, 2024, to the said agency requesting urgent intervention in support of victims in Moon, Menev, Liev 1, Liev 2, Yaav, Kumakwagh, Yaav and Mbadura council wards of Kwande Local Government and NEMA finally approved and released relief materials for his constituents as requested and he wrote a letter on the same date acknowledging receipt.

Ugbor claimed that on September 11th, 2024 while he was in the United States of America attending to matters of national interest, he arranged and conveyed the relief materials from the warehouse of NEMA in Jos to Makurdi for storage at a public commercial warehouse for safety to enable him return and convey the items to his constituency for distribution to the internally displaced people.

Ugbor said the palliatives were kept at the Culture warehouse located at 6E Wantor Kwange Street, Makurdi, Benue State, a public warehouse that was hired for the storage of palliatives pending his return from an official trip for onward distribution to the internally displaced people in his constituency, attaching receipts for payment of the warehouse.

He alleged that to his surprise, Governor Alia impounded the vehicle conveying the items and when he, Ugbor raised complaints, Mr Isaac Uzaan took to his Facebook timeline and authored a publication entitled “RE: ALIA VOWS TO MAKE LIFE UNBEARABLE FOR IDPS IN KWANDE” wherein the said Uzaan published defamatory words against him.

Ugbor also alleged that Mr Kula on September 18th also took to his Facebook page to publish a press statement for himself and on behalf of Governor Alia entitled “Gov. ALIA HANDS OVER TRUCK OF DIVERTED RELIEF MATERIALS TO EFCC/ICPC” wherein the Governor and Mr Kula defamed his character and reputation.

The House of Representatives member further averred that Governor Alia also on the 18th Day of September 2024, in a video shared on Fr. Alia TV Network which went viral on social media, especially Facebook made several defamatory statements that he, Ugbor, diverted palliatives meant for Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency and referred to him(Ugbor) as a “dishonourable member”.

In the suit, the member representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency is seeking an order from the court directing Governor Alia, Tersoo Kulas and Isaac Uzaan to pull down all the defamatory posts/publications against him posted on their Facebook pages.

Ugbor is seeking an order of the court directing Governor Alia, Kula and Uzaan to retract all the defamatory publications against him and tender a public apology to him to be published in not less than five national dailies as well as on Facebook and social media platforms.

The plaintiff is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining all the defendants, their privies, servants, agents, surrogates or whosoever called from defaming him.

Ugbor is further seeking an order of the court directing Governor Alia, Tersoo Kulas and Isaac Uzaan to jointly or severally pay him the sum of N1 billion as damages for defamation of his character and reputation, amongst other reliefs.

A date is yet to be fixed for the hearing of the suit.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, has made a heartfelt appeal to Nigerians to pray for their leaders, regardless of their performance or the current state of the nation. Speaking at an event held at the University of Ilorin, the Sultan emphasized the importance of prayer and positive energy in shaping the country's leadership.

*A Call to Action: Pray, Don't Condemn*

Abubakar encouraged Nigerians to refrain from cursing or condemning leaders, opting instead for prayers that could potentially inspire positive change. "Even if a leader is bad, pray for him. Almighty Allah can make him turn a new leaf and become a better person," he said. This message was echoed by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who chairs the event and urged Nigerians to focus on encouraging their leaders rather than criticizing them.

*Collective Support for National Growth*

The Sultan's appeal is not just a spiritual call to action but also a reminder of the importance of collective support for national growth. By adopting a supportive attitude towards leadership, Nigerians can contribute to the country's progress and well-being. This message resonates with similar sentiments expressed by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who has also encouraged Nigerians to pray for their leaders and make sacrifices for the country's development ¹.

*Key Takeaways*

- _Prayer over Criticism_: The Sultan urges Nigerians to pray for leaders rather than condemning them.

- _Positive Change_: Prayers can inspire leaders to change and become better.

- _Collective Support_: Nigerians should adopt a supportive attitude towards leadership for national growth.

- Unity and Sacrifice_: Citizens should make sacrifices for the country's development and pray for leaders to do what is right.

*PDP Crisis Deepens: National Chairman, Secretary Suspended*

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended its National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, over alleged anti-party activities ¹. This decision was made public by the party's National Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, following the National Working Committee's (NWC) 593rd meeting on Thursday ¹ ².

*Reasons Behind the Suspension*

The suspension is linked to a letter Damagum and Anyanwu addressed to the Court of Appeal in Appeal No:CA/PH/307/2024, which went against the party's position in a case involving 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ¹. The NWC condemned this action as a gross violation of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and their Oath of Office ¹.

*Investigation and Disciplinary Action*

The NWC has constituted a committee, chaired by Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja, to investigate the issues raised against Damagum and Anyanwu ¹. The duo has been referred to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action ¹. Additionally, the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, were earlier directed to step aside pending an investigation into allegations against them ¹ ².

*Internal Power Struggle*

This development is seen as part of an internal power struggle within the PDP, with factions loyal to different leaders ². The crisis may have far-reaching implications for the party's leadership structure and its ability to present a united front in future elections.

*What's Next?*

As the PDP navigates this crisis, it remains to be seen how the suspended officials will respond and what impact this will have on the party's overall performance. One thing is certain - the PDP's internal dynamics will continue to shape Nigerian politics in the days to come.