News
Heroic Morocco team captain rejects AFCON trophy, says Senegal won the championship
Achraf Hakimi, captain of Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain defender, has publicly refused to accept the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, highlighting a rare stand for sporting integrity in African football.
Hakimi, 27, one of the world’s most highly regarded right-backs, rejected the awarded title outright.
“My mum told me to reject the AFCON trophy. I’m officially rejecting it and hope my teammates do the same. We had a chance but failed to win,” he said.
“Senegal beat us fairly and deserved it. It will be unfair to ruin their joy after the hard work they put in. I respect the CAF decision but I’m officially rejecting the trophy. I didn’t win 2025 AFCON.
Congratulations to Senegal once again.” He later posted a cryptic message on X: “Energy speaks, I don’t,” reinforcing his commitment to principle over formal recognition.
The decision follows a controversial CAF ruling that retroactively awarded Morocco the championship after Senegal temporarily walked off the field during the final.
Morocco entered the AFCON 2025 tournament as hosts and one of the continent’s strongest sides, featuring stars like Hakimi and Brahim Diaz.
The final, held on Jan. 18, 2026, at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, initially saw a tense 0-0 deadlock.
In stoppage time, a VAR-reviewed penalty was awarded to Morocco after a challenge involving Diaz.
Senegal’s players, protesting the decision and a denied request to review the VAR footage, walked off the pitch for roughly 15 minutes.
Captain Sadio Mane eventually persuaded his teammates to return, and the game resumed.
Pape Gueye scored a curling left-footed goal in the 94th minute of extra time, securing a 1-0 victory for Senegal and their second AFCON title.
Nearly two months later, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation filed an appeal, arguing Senegal’s walk-off violated Article 84 of the AFCON regulations, which addresses abandonment and failure to complete a match.
On March 17, 2026, CAF’s Appeal Board ruled in Morocco’s favour, officially recording the final as a 3-0 forfeit win for Morocco and awarding them their second continental trophy since 1976.
CAF’s decision sparked immediate controversy, with critics across the continent calling it a dangerous precedent that undermines on-pitch results and the spirit of fair competition.
Senegal’s football federation confirmed plans to appeal the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
News
Breaking: Court of Appeal rules in favour of Turaki -led PDP candidate for Osun governorship election
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Thursday, ruled that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Gubernatorial Candidate in Osun State was validly nominated by the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee.
The court also ordered INEC to list the PDP logo on the ballot ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election.
The Court held that access code is neither a creation of the Constitution nor the Electoral Act; rather, a creation of INEC’s guidelines and cannot, in any way, override the provisions of the Constitution.
Section 288 of the Constitution does not specify the method for nominating candidates; it only states that the names of candidates should be forwarded to the Commission.
The court further held that the defendant (INEC) should take steps to include the name of the appellant on the ballot paper.
Additionally, the court ruled that the primary election conducted by the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP was a valid primary election in law.
The three-man panel of justices—Justice Mahmud, Justice Jaro, and Justice Ankawere, was unanimous in its judgment.
News
Breaking: NHRC sets up situation room to monitor and document hate speech, intimidation, threat to life ahead 2027
The national Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has set up a situation room to monitor and document all incidences of hate speech, intimidation and threat to life by politicians and other actors ahead of the 2027 general election.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concerns over rising incidences of hate speech, intimidation and outright threat to life by highly placed individuals, especially politicians and religious leaders.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chef Tony Ojukwu, SAN, revealed this on Thursday in Abuja at a press conference.
He said the situation room would enable the Commission harvest data, analysis and document persons, agencies and others involved in the negative statements in order to ensure they are properly tracked and brought to book by relevant agencies.
Ojukwu also took journalists on a tour of the newly set up situation room.
Details later…..
News
Breaking: NHRC expresses concern over rising incidences of hate speech, threat to life ahead 2027 elections
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concerns over rising incidences of hate speech, intimidation and outright threat to life by highly placed individuals, especially politicians and religious leaders.
At a press conference in Abuja Thursday, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chef Tony Ojukwu, SAN, recalled statements credited to Senator Francis Fadahunsi and Sheikh Yahya Jingir and described the das dangerous with capacity to set the nation ablaze.
He called on politicians, religious and traditional rulers, among other stakeholders to call their supporters and faithful to orders.
He urged government to act before rhetorics turn to violence, saying the forthcoming election in Osun State should serve as example of Nigeria’s capacity to conduct political contest in compliance with international best practices.
Details later…..
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