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Brentford secures Michael Kayode on long-term contract until 2032
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
Brentford has announced a new long-term contract for Italy Under-21 international Michael Kayode, extending his stay until the summer of 2032, with an option for an additional year. The 21-year-old defender, who joined Brentford from Fiorentina, initially on loan in January 2025 before a permanent move, has made 56 appearances across all competitions. He played a key role in Brentford's 2025/26 campaign, which saw them finish ninth in the Premier League, and was nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Season award. Brentford head coach Keith Andrews praised Kayode's progress and development, expressing delight that he chose to stay. Kayode, a former Juventus youth product, made his Serie A debut in 2023 and featured in Fiorentina's run to the UEFA Conference League final in 2024. Since moving to West London, he scored his first goal against Wolves and has been recognized as one of Europe's brightest young right-backs. The contract extension is seen as a significant move for Brentford, securing a key player amidst interest from other clubs, and highlights the club's strategy to build around young talent.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
The African Democratic Congress ADC has demanded an independent judicial commission of inquiry into the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council PFIPC controversy. The opposition party accused the President Bola Tinubu-led government of failing to explain how an organization it now calls "fictitious" allegedly operated across federal institutions. The ADC stated that the presidency's defense of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has raised more questions than answers, highlighting what it describes as "the staggering depth of institutional decay." The party questioned how a non-existent organization could secure recruitment approvals, appear in budget documents, correspond with public institutions, and engage foreign diplomats. The ADC also referenced allegations that Gbajabiamila received between N200m and N600m from Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, asserting that these claims warrant an independent investigation. The party identified ten institutions and public officials, including the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, that should be investigated. The ADC criticized the government for applying different standards in handling corruption allegations, noting the swift action taken in cases involving political opponents compared to the response concerning the Chief of Staff. The party warned that if the Tinubu-led government fails to order a transparent invest
Senate President Godswill Akpabio declared on Friday that his time in the Peoples Democratic Party PDP was spent in the "wrong party," asserting that he discovered his true political affiliation upon defecting to the All Progressives Congress APC. Akpabio made these comments during the inauguration of access roads for the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates in Karsana District, Federal Capital Territory, an event marking President Bola Tinubu鈥檚 third anniversary in office. He responded to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who had praised Akpabio's performance during his PDP tenure, by urging the APC National Working Committee to disregard such remarks, clarifying that they pertained to a period before the APC's formation. Akpabio explained that as a "progressive-minded person," he belonged to a "progressive family," and thus joined the APC when it was founded in 2014, after serving over seven years as Akwa Ibom State governor. He further characterized the PDP as fragmented, acknowledging Wike as the "national leader of the winning faction" of the opposition party. Akpabio also recalled Wike's visit to Akwa Ibom during his governorship, where Wike expressed a desire to "perform miracles" in Rivers State, a promise Akpabio noted Wike fulfilled as Rivers governor. These statements follow Akpabio's recent criticism of the PDP, where he expressed surprise at its continued existence and urged Wike to let it "die."
Fifty members of the European Parliament have called on FIFA's ethics committee to investigate President Gianni Infantino for awarding a 'peace prize' to US President Donald Trump. The MEPs, from 13 European countries, signed a letter supporting a complaint made in December by the British-based sports human rights lobbying group FairSquare. The letter, dated June 29, states that FIFA's code of ethics requires Infantino to "remain politically neutral." It requests an investigation into whether the decision to introduce an annual FIFA peace prize and award it to President Trump was made by the FIFA Council, its bureau, or unilaterally by Infantino. The MEPs, primarily Social Democrats, Liberals, and Greens, view this complaint as an opportunity for FIFA to demonstrate its commitment to political neutrality, transparency, and accountability. Only Norway's football federation has previously called for an investigation into the 'peace prize'. FairSquare noted that this intervention by European policymakers is the most significant since the European Parliament called for Infantino's predecessor, Sepp Blatter, to resign in 2015. The letter also criticized FIFA's ties with Saudi Arabia, the host of the 2034 World Cup, and its sponsorship deal with Aramco, which the MEPs described as "the world鈥檚 biggest corporate polluter."