The leadership of the Labour Party has disclosed that no date has been set for its next National Executive Council meeting to decide the fate of erring members and chieftains of the party indicted for anti-party activities. Deputy National Chairman of the LP, Ayo Olorunfemi, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Sunday PUNCH. The development comes a few days after LP factional National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, announced that the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would soon be expelled for working against the interest of the party. He stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief last Tuesday. Arabambi said Obi, who recently declared support for the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress, was aware that it is unconstitutional for him to belong to two political parties. Despite Obi’s involvement in the activities that led to the launch of the ADC, the former Anambra State governor insisted that he was still a member of the Labour Party. Olorunfemi, however, affirmed that important decisions such as the expulsion of erring LP chieftains could only be taken at a NEC meeting. “I think we are due for another National Executive Council meeting, especially in the face of recent developments. We need to obtain the mandate from the owners of the party. I am talking about the NEC, which is the second-highest decision-making organ of the party.  “However, I cannot tell you when it is going to happen. No date has been fixed because we are still consulting. But definitely, we will have our NEC meeting where decisions relating to the activities of Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti will be taken,” he stated.

It will never happen again that a club sharing a ground with a county cricket team will reach the top flight of English football. And yet that was the reality for Northampton Town, who, on 17 April 1965, sealed promotion to the old First Division with a 4-1 away win at Bury. It capped an outstanding managerial achievement by Dave Bowen, who guided Northampton from the fourth tier to the first in just five seasons - a rise which, by comparison, took Luton Town nine years to emulate in the current century, from 2014 to 2023. "We needed to win at Bury on Easter Saturday. Everybody seemed a little bit nervous, but as the game went on, we got control. Don Martin scored early in the second half and we had a three-goal lead then and we could relax," Graham Carr told BBC Look East. Carr, who was then only 20, had come into the side during the season, making eight appearances, and was still finding his feet among seasoned professionals. But such was the congested nature of the fixture list, there was little time to enjoy their achievement - that came later at a special dinner hosted by the town's mayor. "After the game, I can't remember celebrating. We were sitting on the bus ready to go and we could hear Dave Bowen talking to Sports Report on the radio," said Carr. "On Sunday, we were at Luton Airport, a 16-seater to fly to Exeter to play Plymouth. Derek Legg was sent off early in the game, we were up against it and got beat 5-2. "Then we got the flight back to Luton and the following day we played Plymouth in the return game and won 3-1. We played three games in four days with the same players. No subs then. If you were injured you stayed on." Northampton finished the season in second place with 56 points from their 42 games - only two for a win in those days - and were just a single point behind champions Newcastle United. And promotion meant that in the following season, the Cobblers would be mixing it with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Leeds United. Carr believes that much of the credit must go to Bowen, who was first appointed in 1959 following two spells as a player with the club, and also spent 10 years as manager of the Wales national team. "Dave Bowen was a marvellous coach and he was out with us every day training. He had a plan for everything," he said. "There was good recruitment and we played the same system every game, every week, two wingers - right-footed right winger, left-footed left winger - two strikers, back four, we always had balance in the side." Those wingers were principally Harry Walden and Tommy Robson, later to become a club legend for rivals Peterborough United, with Robson reaching double figures for goals, along with Don Martin and Bobby Brown. But how much of an advantage was Northampton's unusual ground? The club had shared the playing area with Northamptonshire CCC since 1905 and went through the entire campaign without losing a single game at home, where they only conceded 16 goals in 21 fixtures. "Everybody loved playing there. It was our Wembley really. Even with the set-up (we had), I never heard any player want to leave," said Carr. "We never did warm-ups like they do now, we rubbed oil on (our legs in the changing room) and ran onto the pitch. You didn't see the build-up of people coming into the ground. "You couldn't help but think 'wow', I'm ready for it' with the people on the cricket side tight to you, down the side, it became a close, tight atmosphere. Other clubs would feel they were up against it. It played its part for us." The promotion season ended with a home game against Portsmouth, an unforgettable occasion for those who were there. "'It was a big deal, the town was only half the size it is now so everyone knew everyone. None of us could believe it was happening," supporter Roger Averill told BBC Look East. "The last game against Portsmouth, I was in the middle of the hotel end which was packed. I had to climb up the floodlights so I could see. It was party time. I don't think I appreciated the magnitude of it. "It was heaving. Everyone went on the pitch, the players went into the stand, throwing shirts and boots into the crowd. As a 12-year-old, I thought we would do this all the time but I have found out that we don't!" Northampton were handed a trip to Merseyside to take on Everton for their first match in the top flight, and it proved to be a harsh lesson as, although Bobby Brown's goal brought them level at 1-1, they eventually went down 5-2. "It was the first year subs came in. We played at Everton, I remember driving in and I knew I was (going to be) on the bench," Carr recalls. "The crowd outside Goodison Park was unbelievable." There was encouragement from their first two home games, which ended in 1-1 draws with Arsenal and defending champions Manchester United, Matt Busby's side helping attracting a crowd of 21,245 to the County Ground. Things then took a downturn as the Cobblers failed to win any of the next 10, leaving them 21st by mid-October, but back-to-back 2-1 home victories over West Ham and Aston Villa lifted the mood, with Jim Hall scoring both goals in the latter. Results were mixed thereafter but the Cobblers managed to stay just above the bottom two despite 6-2 defeats in the return game with Manchester United at Old Trafford and at Stoke City in February. Newcastle United and Leeds United were both beaten at home and they completed a notable double over Villa when John Mackin and Graham Moore's goals gave them a 2-1 win. The final three games were a rollercoaster as a 4-2 home loss to Fulham dropped them into the relegation places, a 2-1 home win over Sunderland lifted them out, only for a 3-0 defeat at Blackpool to see them finish 21st, just three points from safety, and they were relegated along with Blackburn Rovers. They had certainly not disgraced themselves, winning 10 games and drawing 13, but defensive frailty ultimately cost them dear. Their 92 goals conceded was four worse than any other team. "We had great lads who were physically strong, who would work hard and dig in – and frighten people – but in the First Division then, you did need a little more than that," said Carr. "Unfortunately, we didn't have the money to do it - we did our best but our best wasn't good enough." Carr left Northampton in 1968 to join York City but returned as manager in the mid-1980s and and guided them to the Fourth Division title in 1987. He went on to become chief scout for both Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United before deciding to return to Northampton as an associate director eight years ago. Now 80, how does he feel looking back to that glorious season which culminated in promotion 60 years ago and the players with whom he shared a dressing room, the majority of whom have passed away? "It was a marvellous feeling, unbelievable. A once-in-a-lifetime achievement. I don't think it will ever happen again because finances have changed this game," an emotional Carr added. "We all lived in Northampton so we had a drink together, we socialised together, we went to the cafes together after training. "They were all great lads. I miss them."

As politics thickens ahead of the 2027 general elections, the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition coalition under the aegis of the African Democratic Congress seeking to unseat President Bola Tinubu are scrambling for the 5.7 million votes in the northern state of Kano, Sunday PUNCH’s findings have revealed. Central to Kano is the state’s former governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, who controls a large following, known as Kwankwasiyya Movement. Multiple party stakeholders, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH, believe Kano’s votes and Kwankwaso’s standing will be critical to the outcome of the 2027 poll. Kwankwaso contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party and came fourth with  1,496,687  votes, majorly garnered in Kano State, his political base. He got his largest number of votes,  997,279, in Kano State, edging out even the APC, who was in power in the state at the time. Ahead of the 2027, with the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party gasping for breath over long-standing internal crises, the ruling APC and President Bola Tinubu appeared poised for victory in 2027, but the recent emergence of the ADC coalition seems to have altered the political calculation. Led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-governor Nasir El-Rufai, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, who came third with 6.1 million votes in the 2023 presidential election, ex-governor Rauf Aregbesola, ex-Senate President David Mark, ex-Rivers governor, Rotimi Amaechi, the ADC coalition appears to be fast gaining momentum, attracting other political heavyweights across the country. As political realignments continue ahead of the next election cycle, Kwankwaso remains a coveted figure whose next move could tilt the scales in the fiercely competitive northern region. In separate interviews with Sunday PUNCH, stakeholders in both the APC and the ADC coalition confirmed that efforts were being made to win Kwankwaso to their corners and secure Kano’s mega votes. Also, multiple NNPP sources, who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly, confirmed that both APC and ADC leaders had held several meetings with Kwankwaso and other top NNPP figures to negotiate potential support for or opposition to President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. Kwankwaso has remained silent on where he stands, deepening the political intrigues. In an exclusive interview with Sunday PUNCH, APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, and one of the ADC coalition leaders and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, described Kwankwaso, leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, as a valuable asset to any political party. Confirming efforts to win Kwankwaso over to the ADC camp in an interview with one of our correspondents on Saturday, Lawal said, “It will be a big advantage if he joins us.” He noted that due to Kwankwaso’s clout, “some people are reaching out to him.” “There are quite a number of friends from the coalition who love him to join us, that I know,” he said. Lawal stressed that  Kwankwaso easily ranks in the category of political heavyweights that the ADC coalition is rooting for in its quest to remove Tinubu from power. “I know people are meeting him (Kwankwaso),” Lawal said, adding, “Obviously, he is welcome (into the ADC coalition) because he is in the category of those who will come with a large number of supporters. Either as Kwankwaso and his supporters or as Kwankwanso and the NNPP. Either way, they are welcome.” Asked if the ADC coalition is also targeting the NNPP structures, the ex-SGF said, “The coalition is not about political parties, but about individuals moving into it. It is not the logo or letterhead paper that we’re after. It’s the people who make up those parties. They can come in individually or in groups. They are welcome. “Even if KwanKwaso doesn’t join the ADC, quite a large number of some of his people will join us on an individual basis. Maybe some local government chapters of the NNPP will collapse into the ADC, while the national headquarters might not be inclined. “Big individuals in the states are joining the ADC, but they are not saying they are joining us from the NNPP or the PDP. Atiku joined the ADC and he didn’t say the PDP is joining the ADC. So, we are targeting politically influential individuals in their communities. Politics is local; it is at that local level that action is important.” In February, Kwankwaso and Aregbesola, who emerged as the Interim National Secretary at the ADC coalition unveiling on July 1, held a closed-door meeting in Lagos. Though details of the meeting held in Aregbesola’s Lagos residence were not disclosed, it was believed to be part of the alliance’s moves ahead of 2027. Sources in the Osun State chapter of the NNPP said the two prominent politicians discussed issues around national politics. NNPP chieftain and Kwankwaso’s close ally, Buba Galadima, in a recent interview, said the APC and the ADC coalition were making overtures to Kwankwaso.He, however, said Kwankwaso had yet to take any decision. “Of course, we understand that the PDP, the APC, and even the coalition have been trying to woo Kwankwaso, but he has remained steadfast and strategic. And we will remain in our party strategically until the whistle is blown for politics,” Galadima said during an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show. The recent resignation of the immediate-past Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, as APC National Chairman is believed to be part of the political strategy to ease  Kwankwaso’s path into the APC. Insiders say it is part of President Bola Tinubu’s gambit to win Kano’s substantial votes that Kwankwaso controls. A senior member of the NNPP, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the subject, confirmed to Sunday PUNCH that the ruling APC, through the Presidency, had been in talks with Kwankwaso for weeks about a possible defection to the APC. The source also disclosed that the ADC had approached Kwankwaso and the party’s leadership to explore the possibility of forming an alliance. He stated, “We are still in the NNPP. But the APC has been in touch for a while; through the Presidency, negotiations are ongoing. Also, the ADC has reached out to Kwankwaso too. “Because of his popularity among Nigerians, many political parties want Kwankwaso in their party. But I know that in the coming weeks, Kwankwaso will announce his position, and all our structures will fall in line.” ‘Kwankwaso too smart to choose coalition over APC’ The APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Arodiogbu, confirmed Kwankwaso’s political value, saying he is wise enough to choose the APC over the ADC coalition. Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, Arodiogbu said, “Kwankwaso is a very formidable politician in Kano. Looking at the population size and the political control he commands, he is a big asset to any party. “But I can tell you confidently that he knows better than to join that ADC gathering. What they are doing is merely photo-ops out of desperation.” The APC chieftain accused the ADC coalition of being a shelter for “internally displaced politicians” and argued that the former NNPP standard-bearer would lose credibility if he joins forces with Atiku, El-Rufai, and others in the opposition. “If Kwankwaso subjects himself to the likes of El-Rufai and Atiku, he reduces his political worth. He will become a follower in a formation led by people who have no solid base anymore. I believe he is too smart for that,” he added. Arodiogbu insisted that the best political move for Kwankwaso would be to either align with the APC, which currently controls the Federal Government, or retain his influence as a dominant political figure in northern Nigeria. “In my opinion, it’s better for him to remain independent in the North than to bring himself down by joining the ADC coalition. “If I were to advise him, I’d say: join the ruling party or maintain your regional stronghold,” he said. Unease among supporters Close associates of the ex-Kano governor say there is growing unease among his supporters over his prolonged silence on his 2027 move. In an interview with one of our correspondents, one of his close associates, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the subject, said, “He (Kwankwaso) has been silent about his plans for the 2027 elections. Even those of us close to him don’t know what he intends to do—we’re just waiting for him to decide. “This prolonged silence is seriously affecting both our party and our group. Since we are already in the electioneering season, many of our supporters expected him to have declared his position by now. “As a result, Kwankwaso’s support base is becoming unstable, with some members of the NNPP and the Kwankwasiyya Movement leaving in droves to join other parties or support other aspirants. We hope he will make his position known soon.” NNPP factions divided Meanwhile, the two NNPP factions hold differing views over Kwankwaso’s alliance and his political worth in 2027. The anti-Kwankwaso’s NNPP faction, led by Agbo Major, described the ex-governor as a political burden who causes disunity within the party. Speaking in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, the faction’s National Secretary, Olaposi Oginni, said Kwankwaso’s leaving the party to either join the APC or the ADC coalition would be “good riddance to bad rubbish.” “Kwakwanso can go wherever he likes; it is good riddance to bad rubbish,” Major said. “He met us in the party, yet he wants to hijack the party from us just because we gave him the opportunity to be the presidential flag-bearer of the party in 2023. “As far as we are concerned in the NNPP, Kwakwanso is a political liability; he brought disunity into the party. His intention is to pocket the party as his personal property, and we say that can’t stand and it will never stand. As a matter of fact, we are not worried about his exit from the party because he is rather a curse and not a blessing to the party.” According to Major, Dr Boniface Aniebonam and others founded the NNPP 23 years ago, and the party has been surviving through thick and thin without Kwankwaso. “As said earlier, he is free to go wherever he likes. For us in the NNPP, it is good riddance to bad rubbish,” he declared. But the pro-Kwankwaso NNPP faction led by Ajuji Ahmed described the ex-Kano governor as an exceptional leader any political party would be eager to have. Speaking to Sunday PUNCH through its National Publicity Secretary, Oladipo Johnson, the faction, however, said Kwankwaso remains a member of the NNPP. Johnson stated, “We know why all political parties want to have Kwankwaso with them—he is popular among Nigerians and a great leader with numerous achievements at both the national level and in Kano State. “But our position has not changed. All options are on the table, and we are carefully weighing them. At the appropriate time, we will inform Nigerians through you if anything changes. “So, Kwankwaso is still a member of the NNPP and remains committed to the growth of the party and the development of Nigeria. That is the current situation.”

If there is a petition to add Jacob Murphy to the England squad, his Newcastle team-mate Harvey Barnes wants to sign it. Winger Murphy scored one goal and assisted another as his side thrashed Crystal Palace 5-0 to move up to third in the Premier League on Wednesday night. The 30-year-old's 19 goal involvements this season are as many as in his past three campaigns combined. And, over his past five matches, Murphy has netted three goals, four assists and lifted the Carabao Cup. On Sunday, England manager Thomas Tuchel was watching as uncapped Murphy tore Manchester United apart. Murphy does have a few England youth caps, but so far the man who was born in Wembley, London has never received a senior England call-up. "He's playing unbelievable," said Newcastle winger Barnes. "He's such a character in the changing room and deserves everything he's getting. I'm joining the petition [to get him in the England squad]." It is quite odd for a player to have a breakthrough season aged 30, but that is exactly what is happening with Murphy, who did not start more than 17 Premier League matches in a single season until this campaign. Boyhood Toon fan Murphy joined the club from Norwich in 2017. For seven years he was on the fringes of the Newcastle squad, and had been loaned out to West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday. But, this season, he has become a star - and a big reason is down to his connection with Alexander Isak. Only Mohamed Salah (18) has more assists than Murphy's 11 in the Premier League this season. Seven of those assists have been for Newcastle striker Isak. If he sets him up three more times the pair will break a Premier League record. Murphy did not assist Isak on Wednesday night, but it was only because of the Swede's poor finishing. In the first five minutes Murphy twice reached the byeline and put in deliciously dangerous crosses which Isak was unable to turn in. It was Murphy who did open the scoring, beating goalkeeper Dean Henderson for power with a shot which some may say suspiciously looked like a cross. "I did mean it, yeah," Murphy told Sky Sports. "When the juice is flowing, you've just got to hit it. "The defender's come out so it was going to be hard to get it through him so I thought 'ah, just shoot here'. Lovely." Murphy's ball in for Fabian Schar at the end of the first half got the finish it deserved when the Newcastle defender glanced a header into the far corner to make it 4-0. Murphy had a goal, an assist and a whole host of other chances created all before half-time. It means, of all the English players in the Premier League this season, only Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins have more goal involvements than Murphy. Or, put another way, Murphy has a higher combined goals and assists total this term than Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Rogers, Marcus Rashford, Eberechi Eze and Dominic Solanke - who were all in the last England squad.