Mali dramatically advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Tunisia 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in extra time, despite playing with ten men for most of the Round of 16 clash at the Mohammed V Stadium on Saturday.

The Eagles, reduced to ten players after Woyo Coulibaly’s straight red card in the 26th minute for a lunging tackle on Hannibal Mejbri, looked destined for elimination when substitute Firas Chaouat headed Tunisia ahead in the 88th minute from Elias Saad’s cross.

However, in a frantic finish, Yassine Meriah’s handball in the box during stoppage time allowed Lassine Sinayoko to equalize from the penalty spot in the 96th minute, forcing extra time.

With no further goals in the additional 30 minutes, the match went to penalties. Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra emerged as the hero, saving shots from Elias Achouri and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane. El Bilal Touré slotted home the decisive kick after Ali Abdi skied his effort, sealing a 3-2 shootout victory.

Mali captain Yves Bissouma and Nene Dorgeles missed for the Eagles in the shootout, but Diarra’s saves proved pivotal in one of the tournament’s most thrilling encounters.

The result sets up a blockbuster West African quarter-final showdown between Mali and defending champions Senegal, who earlier dispatched Sudan 3-1 in Tangier.

Senegal, led by braces from Pape Gueye and a late strike from teenage substitute Ibrahim Mbaye, will face Mali on January 9 at the Grand Stade de Tangier.

Mali coach Eric Chelle praised his side’s resilience: “Playing with ten men for so long and coming back like that shows the character in this team. We’re ready for Senegal—it’s going to be a tough battle.

“Tunisia, who dominated possession but struggled to break down Mali’s defensive setup, exit the tournament after a frustrating campaign, having won only one group-stage match.

The 2025 AFCON, hosted in Morocco, continues with more Round of 16 fixtures on Sunday, including hosts Morocco against Tanzania. The quarter-finals promise intense matchups as the race for the title heats up.

Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has firmly declared that he and his political allies will not back Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s bid for a second term in 2027, warning that such support would amount to “political suicide” for his camp.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Okrika Local Government Area on Saturday, Wike described Fubara’s emergence in 2023 as a “leadership mistake” that must not be repeated. “We have made a decision as far as Tinubu is concerned.

The other one [Fubara] — no way. Because if we make another mistake, then we will go and bury ourselves politically. I will not allow myself to be buried,” he stated emphatically.

The minister, who played a pivotal role in Fubara’s 2023 gubernatorial victory, accused the governor of poor leadership, citing his alleged inability to maintain cordial relations with local government chairmen, state assembly members, and National Assembly representatives.

“Someone who cannot relate with the local government chairmen, state assembly members and national assembly members — what kind of leadership do you want to provide?” Wike questioned.

Wike’s remarks come amid renewed hostilities following Fubara’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2025, a move seen as bolstering his second-term ambitions. The minister further alleged that Fubara breached a peace agreement brokered by President Bola Tinubu, which facilitated the lifting of emergency rule in the state and the governor’s reinstatement.

While pledging unwavering support for President Tinubu’s re-election, Wike dismissed suggestions that Fubara’s alignment with the APC would automatically secure his re-election. “Supporting Tinubu won’t save Fubara,” he said during earlier engagements in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and other local government areas.

The escalating feud has fractured ethnic and political alignments in the oil-rich state. The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has endorsed Fubara for a second term, praising his people-centered policies, while the Rivers Ijaw People’s Congress withdrew support from the governor, pledging loyalty to Wike.

APC national leaders have expressed backing for Fubara as a sitting governor, with the party’s National Secretary stating that no APC governor would be frustrated. However, Wike’s influence within the party’s Rivers structures remains significant, setting the stage for a fierce intra-party battle ahead of 2027.

Political observers note that the rift, rooted in control over party structures and resources, continues to dominate Rivers politics, with both sides mobilizing grassroots support.

As consultations and alignments intensify, the outcome could reshape power dynamics in the Niger Delta region.

The anticipated defection of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been postponed, with the new date set for Monday, January 12, 2026.

The move, originally scheduled for January 5—coinciding with the governor’s 63rd birthday—was delayed following a meeting between Governor Yusuf and Vice President Kashim Shettima in Abuja on Friday.

Reports suggest that Yusuf personally requested additional time to conduct further consultations with key stakeholders, including state legislators, National Assembly members from Kano, and other political figures who have yet to fully commit to the transition.

“The governor wants to ensure broader alignment before formalizing the defection,” one anonymous source present at the Abuja meeting told reporters.

The postponement comes amid intensifying political realignments in Kano, Nigeria’s most populous state, ahead of the 2027 general elections. Yusuf’s potential switch to the APC is seen as a major boost for the ruling party, potentially consolidating its dominance in the North and neutralizing internal rivalries, including ambitions from figures like Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.

However, the plan has deepened rifts within the NNPP and the influential Kwankwasiyya movement led by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Yusuf’s longtime political mentor. Kwankwaso has publicly rejected the defection rumors, urging supporters to pray against it and warning that it would betray the party’s mandate.

NNPP national leadership has dissolved its Kano executive committee in response to the crisis, while some party officials have labeled the move a “betrayal.” Despite this, reports indicate strong backing for Yusuf from most state assembly members, local government chairmen, and grassroots structures.

Political analysts describe the development as reflective of broader calculations, with the APC reportedly coordinating at the highest levels to welcome Yusuf. If completed, the defection would leave the NNPP without its only sitting governor, significantly weakening its national standing.

As consultations continue, Kano remains a focal point of Nigeria’s fluid political landscape.