Bitcoin dropped below $60,000 on Friday, its lowest level since October 2024, just before Donald Trump’s election which propelled it to a record high.

The currency fell by about 6 percent around 1615 GMT, to $59.7709, before paring its losses slightly.

The election of Trump, a staunch advocate of cryptocurrencies, to the White House in November 2024 for a second term sparked a wave of enthusiasm in the sector, sending the price of bitcoin soaring to nearly $110,000.

AFP

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the nomination of Dr Zainab Marwa to the Senate for confirmation as a member of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Marwa is being nominated to represent the North-East zone on the NDDC board.

The President’s request was contained in a letter read during plenary by the Senate President.

In the letter, Tinubu said the nomination was in line with the provisions of the NDDC Establishment Act.

Naija News reports that the appointment is expected to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the immediate past board member, Hon Abdulrazak Namdas.

Namdas stepped down from the NDDC board on March 30, 2026, to pursue his governorship ambition in Adamawa State.

Tinubu, in the letter to the Senate, expressed confidence that the upper legislative chamber would give prompt consideration to Marwa’s nomination.

The President said the confirmation would enable the board to continue its mandate without disruption.

Following the reading of the letter, the Senate referred Marwa’s nomination to its Committee on NDDC for screening and further legislative action.

The committee is expected to examine her credentials and report back to the chamber for final consideration.

If confirmed, Marwa will join the NDDC Governing Board as the representative of the North-East zone.

The NDDC board is responsible for overseeing the commission’s mandate of driving development across the Niger Delta region through infrastructure, intervention projects and other development programmes.

Man City are considering taking legal action after a Real Madrid presedential candidate said he would sign Erling Haaland, if elected.

What actually happened?

Real presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme, who faces current president Florentino Perez in Sunday’s vote, claimed on Spanish TV show El Hormiguero on Wednesday night that Haaland had a release clause and wants to move to the Bernabeu. He also held up a Real shirt with ‘Haaland 9’ on the back.

Riquelme, who also promised to sign Haaland’s City team-mate Rodri, said: “If I break my promises regarding either of these players, I’ve signed a guarantee where I’d pay 100 per cent of membership costs for next season.

“Haaland has a release clause, and he wants to come to Madrid.”

What was City’s response?

However, Manchester City have moved quickly to refute those claims, saying in a statement that there is “no chance” Haaland will be leaving the Etihad Stadium any time soon. The Premier League club also said they are considering legal action over the shirt stunt.

A City spokesperson said in a statement: “The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue.

“There is no chance of this happening and there is no contractual clause to enable it.

“We are considering legal action for the use of our player image in this context.”

Haaland is under contract at the Etihad until the summer of 2034 and Haaland’s agent Rafaela Pimenta and his father Alfie Haaland laughed off suggestions the 25-year-old could soon be heading to the Spanish capital.

A joint-statement released in the early hours of Thursday morning said: “All very entertaining but not true. We wish all the best for both candidates in the Real Madrid elections.”

What was Perez’s response?

Meanwhile, current Real president Florentino Perez made his own election pledge on Wednesday night, seemingly confirming Jose Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid as manager, if he wins next Sunday’s presidential election.

Perez posted a video on X in which Mourinho features in a Real shirt saying: “Yes”, while the only other words to accompany it say: “Meanwhile, on TV, they just keep talking and talking and talking. So much history to be made.”

The video was posted in response to Riquelme’s TV apperaance promoting his rival bid.

Perez has made no secret of his intention to name Mourinho as head coach should he win the vote and remain for an eighth term in the role, but his social media post appears to have made it official.

Mourinho is widely expected to agree a three-year-deal to return to the Bernabeu Stadium and replace Alvaro Arbeloa, who was appointed in January after Xabi Alonso’s departure.

Benfica have yet to confirm Mourinho’s departure, while speculation has been mounting that Marco Silva is being lined up as his successor after the Portuguese announced he will leave Fulham when his contract expires in June.

Real Madrid’s presidential election on Sunday will be decided by the club’s members. It is the first contested election since 2006 as club members will choose between incumbent Perez, 79, and businessman Riquelme, 37.