Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has directed all members of the All Progressives Congress in the state to return to their respective wards for membership revalidation. Eno gave the directive during his maiden familiarisation visit to the state secretariat of the APC located in Uyo, the state capital, on Friday He disclosed that a register will be sent to all the wards through the ward chairmen, and the exercise will commence on August 4, 2025, and will last for about a month to give room to all interested persons to register. He said the membership registration was very essential to ascertain the actual members of the party. The governor said everyone, irrespective of his or her status, , should take part in the process which will be followed by a digital capturing by the national secretariat of the party. Eno, who hinted on a planned Federal Government empowerment initiative on a one per ward basis, said the President Bola Tinubu-led government was doing very well for the country. “There is something I saw and decided to stand with this President. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu means well for this country. “Some of us know what he went through when he took over and today, two years after, things are stabilising. “We need to support him. We believe that he is stabilising the economy. As a governor, we can tell you that he is releasing money for the state, that’s why we are doing projects, not owing contractors and paying gratuities,” he added. The governor also urged them to support the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and all other APC candidates for re-election in 2027. He appreciated everyone for their support thus far, saying, “today, we have come as part of our familiarisation with the party office. We started with the party structure. We met with the stakeholders. We are now at the party office to pay respect to the party because party is supreme. “We had to go step by step, precept upon precept. There is no need to rush any. So we are going to put everything that we need to put in place, and there is nothing to rush about. “To all of you that have given us the support to have transited easily, I am here today to thank those who have believed in good governance, who have believed in the ARISE Agenda and all of the little progress we have been able to make in the last two years,” he added. The governor used the occasion to inaugurate a 10-man committee for an APC secretariat project with a mandate to search for land, raise funds, and deliver a befitting secretariat for the party. Members of the project committee include Sir Monday Uko; Chairman, Obongemem Ekpo, Obong Ekere, Senator Ita Enan, Rt Hon.Unyime Idem, and Ambassador Asam Asam. In his remarks, the state party chairman, Obong Ntukekpo, appreciated the governor for his leadership disposition describing it as a testimony of grace, compassion and inclusivity.

Struggling Manchester United returned to type as Pablo Sarabia curled home a brilliant 77th-minute free-kick to secure a fifth straight top-flight win for Wolves for the first time since 1970 and end any lingering fears of relegation. United's performance could not have been in greater contrast to their thrilling efforts in midweek against Lyon. They have now lost 15 games this season, more than last term and their worst since 1989-90, when they lost on 16 occasions. Ruben Amorim's team can now add Wolves to Crystal Palace, Brighton, Bournemouth, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest as teams that have come to Old Trafford since the Portuguese took charge in November and left with maximum points. United have now taken nine points from their past 10 Premier League games. The only teams they have beaten in that period are Leicester and Ipswich, who are both in the bottom three. Rasmus Hojlund was inches away from turning home Alejandro Garnacho's low cross at the far post for the hosts but he has now scored once in his last 28 games. While Amorim has not made United's results better since replacing Erik ten Hag, Vitor Pereira has transformed Wolves. From being in a relegation dogfight for much of the campaign, they are now safe with five games to spare and are behind today's opponents only on goal difference. It really did not need spelling out but everyone connected with Manchester United knows winning the Europa League is the only thing standing between them and a catastrophic campaign, the like of which it was impossible to imagine in the financially driven Premier League era. Even last season, when they finished eighth, was better than this. There were elements of positivity, which chiefly came through the mature performances of youngsters Harry Amass and, on his debut, 20-year-old central defender Tyler Fredricson. But really, a largely drab encounter, in which the home side had just two shots on target, just emphasised that aside from skipper Bruno Fernandes, who was left on the bench for the first hour as Amorim focuses on the Europa League semi-final with Athletic Bilbao, United badly lack a creative spark. Dan Bentley did tip a first-half Christian Eriksen free-kick over the bar but there never seemed likely to be a repeat of the late heroics against Lyon. Teenage forward Chido Obi came on for Hojlund towards the end but the youngster never threatened either and Fernandes screwed a good opportunity wide from Garnacho's cut-back. And, as United have significant issues on the pitch, there is a great sense of unease off it as well. There were no significant protests arranged by the more militant supporter groups. But right in front of the directors box the fans, many of whom have had season tickets for decades, continued to make their feelings known about their pending relocation to create a new corporate seating area. Banners including blunt messages like 'tourists over fans' and more detailed ones, accusing owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family of letting supporters down, were raised barely 10 yards away from chief executive Omar Berrada and chief operating officer Collette Roche as they took their seats in the directors box. Wolves' fourth away league win in a row was a masterclass in containment, and striking when the opportunity arose. Pereira has drilled his defenders to perform in a cohesive manner in a way predecessor Gary O'Neil could not. While it could be argued Wolves' squad is better than it appeared under O'Neil, especially in the latter weeks of his reign, it is a measure of the impact Pereira has had that they kept an admittedly weak United side at arms' length with relative ease. For once, Matheus Cunha was a subdued presence, so it was Sarabia who stepped up to take the pivotal free-kick conceded by Eriksen close to the United box. Andre Onana thought he had got his wall right. But Sarabia spotted an opportunity and, just three minutes after his introduction, scored the goal that secured Wolves' Premier League safety.

Arsenal denied Liverpool the chance to win the Premier League title this weekend as they comfortably beat 10-man Ipswich at Portman Road. In their first match since seeing off Real Madrid to reach the Champions League semi-finals, the Gunners produced another excellent display against an Ipswich side on the verge of relegation. Arsenal dominated from kick-off and took the lead in the 14th minute when Bukayo Saka's cross into the box was helped on by a slight touch from Martin Odegaard and turned into the net by Leandro Trossard. They doubled their lead after more good work by Saka, whose cross into the area was cleverly flicked on by Mikel Merino for Gabriel Martinelli to tap into an empty net. Ipswich's task was then made even harder when Leif Davis was shown a red card in the 32nd minute for a poor tackle on Saka. Trossard added his second of the game in the 69th minute when he finished smartly from inside the area after a well-worked Arsenal short corner. Substitute Ethan Nwaneri scored a fourth for Arsenal with a deflected shot two minutes from time. The Gunners had good chances to score more - one for Merino and two for Saka - and Mikel Arteta would have expected them to be taken. This was Ipswich's seventh home defeat of 2025, which leaves them clinging on to their Premier League status for one more week. This victory delayed Liverpool's inevitable title win but the focus for the Gunners is on their Champions League campaign. Mikel Arteta is going to be without Thomas Partey for the first leg of their semi-final against Paris St-Germain on 29 April, and took the opportunity to trial a midfield that could take to the pitch for that game. Declan Rice, who has been so good in his number eight role in recent weeks, was pushed deeper to anchor the Arsenal midfield, while Merino - who has been playing as a makeshift striker - was used in his natural midfield role. They were joined in the middle by captain Odegaard, who linked up superbly with Saka on the right-hand side of the pitch. The Norway international was involved in both of Arsenal's first-half goals. The only concern for the Gunners at Portman Road was that Saka required strapping to his ankle once he was substituted in the 57th minute, as a result of the tackle that led to Davis' red card, as Arteta looked to protect his key man. Arsenal take on Crystal Palace next but these games feel like a build-up to their season-defining Champions League assignment. Ipswich were never really in this match - and it sums up their struggles that they have now lost 20 of 33 Premier League games this season. Manager Kieran McKenna admitted in his matchday programme notes that his side were unlikely to achieve their aim of staying up. Defeat here rendered their survival mission all but mathematically impossible. Ipswich possess some exciting young players but they did not have enough quality to pose Arsenal any problems and their ability to attack was made more difficult after Davis was sent off. Striker George Hirst was starved of any service but did go close in the second half when he broke away on an Ipswich counter-attack and curled just wide. Liam Delap has been excellent for Ipswich this season, scoring 12 Premier League goals, but the forward was only fit enough to be on the bench after picking up a rib injury in the match with Wolves. Ipswich visit Newcastle United next Saturday looking to delay confirmation of a drop back to the Championship.