Leaders of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, have welcomed the confirmation of Prince Adewole Adebayo as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The party described the development as a significant milestone ahead of the 2027 presidential election, following INEC’s publication of the final list of presidential candidates, and expressed confidence in its chances at the polls.

In a statement, the Chairman of the SDP in Delta State, Felix Obuseh, said the publication of Adebayo’s name by INEC had boosted the confidence of party members and supporters across the country.

Obuseh said the party would continue mobilising support for its presidential candidate ahead of the election.

Also reacting, the Chairman of the SDP in Zamfara State, Bilal Aliyu Gusau, congratulated Adebayo on his confirmation by INEC and wished him a successful campaign.

Similarly, Cotterell Tumbodiaa described the confirmation of Adebayo and his running mate as an important step in the party’s preparations for the 2027 presidential election.

He expressed hope that the SDP would offer Nigerians a credible alternative and wished the party’s presidential candidate success in the campaign.

The reactions followed INEC’s publication of the names of candidates cleared to contest the 2027 presidential election, including Adebayo as the SDP flag bearer.

The Super Falcons produced a spirited and resilient performance to defeat Zambia 1-0 despite playing with 10 players for more than half the match, breathing new life into their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign on Saturday night in Rabat.

After suffering a shock opening defeat to Malawi, the 10-time African champions responded like true title contenders, with Asisat Oshoala’s early goal proving enough to hand Nigeria a vital three points against the highly-rated Copper Queens.

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Nigeria made a bright start and deservedly took the lead in the eighth minute when Oshoala latched onto a perfectly weighted pass inside the penalty area before calmly slotting beyond the Zambian goalkeeper to send the Super Falcons into an early lead.

The encounter took a dramatic twist before halftime following a series of incidents involving defender Tosin Demehin and Zambia captain Barbra Banda.

Demehin was initially shown a yellow card before a lengthy VAR review ruled Banda offside in the build-up, leading to the caution being withdrawn. However, minutes later, another challenge involving the pair resulted in the Nigerian defender being sent off in the 40th minute, leaving the Super Falcons to play the remainder of the contest with 10 players.

Faced with the numerical disadvantage, head coach Justin Madugu reshuffled his side after the interval, introducing Shukurat Oladipo for debutant Rofiat Imuran to reinforce the defence.

Zambia dominated possession for long periods of the second half, but Nigeria remained disciplined and compact, frustrating the Copper Queens while still posing a threat on the counterattack through Uchenna Kanu and substitute Esther Okoronkwo.

Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie also delivered an assured display, producing crucial interventions as Nigeria’s reorganised backline stood firm to withstand sustained late pressure and preserve the narrow advantage until the final whistle.

The victory marked Nigeria’s second consecutive WAFCON win over Zambia and revived the Super Falcons’ hopes of reaching the knockout stage following their opening-day setback.

The Super Falcons will now turn their attention to their final Group C fixture against Egypt on Wednesday, August 5, knowing that another positive result would strengthen their chances of advancing to the quarter-finals as they continue their pursuit of a record-extending 11th WAFCON title.