Rangers Football Club have parted ways with manager Philippe Clement following Saturday’s 2-0 home Scottish Premiership defeat by St Mirren.

The decision to sack the 50-year-old Belgian comes one year and four months after he took the job, with Rangers 13 points adrift of rivals Celtic in the standings.

“Rangers would like to put on record their sincere thanks to Philippe for his hard work and dedication during his spell in charge.

“A further update from the club will follow in due course,” the Glasgow club said in a short statement on Sunday.

Clement has guided Rangers to the Europa League last 16, where they face Fenerbahce next month.

They were however knocked out of the Scottish Cup by second-tier Queen’s Park this month and lost the League Cup final to Celtic on penalties in December.

Ecobank Nigeria, a subsidiary of Ecobank Group, has partnered with Code 14 Labs to expand access to coding education for children across Nigeria.

Mr Austene Osokpor, Head of Corporate Communications at Ecobank, announced the partnership in a statement on Sunday.

The initiative leverages Code 14 Labs’ interactive coding workbooks, including “Andrew Teaches”, and its teacher network to offer affordable annual training and proficiency certification to students.

As part of the collaboration, Ecobank will utilise its extensive operational network across Africa to provide nationwide and pan-African access to coding education.

Code 14 Labs will contribute its educational technology and trusted community, ensuring high-quality teaching that delivers tangible learning outcomes for students and reassurance for parents.

At the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Lagos, Adeola Ogunyemi, Head of Consumer Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, said the partnership reflects the bank’s commitment to bridging the digital gap.

She highlighted how the initiative aligns with Ecobank’s mission to equip children with essential skills for success in an increasingly digital world.

Ogunyemi was represented by Victor Yalokwu, Head of Consumer Products and Segments.

“At Ecobank, we recognise that financial literacy and digital education are closely linked. This belief led to the creation of MyFirst Account, a product for children under 16.

“It encourages smart financial habits from an early age. By introducing students to coding through Code 14’s mobile app, we nurture problem-solving, creativity, and digital confidence,” Ogunyemi said.

Otaru Daudu, Executive Director of Research and Technology at Code 14 Labs, praised the partnership.

Daudu expressed confidence that, with additional partners, they will achieve their goal of training 50,000 learners to proficiency level.

He added that students will gain proficiency in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), essential programming languages for global internet communication.

“Code 14 Labs is committed to scaling critical education components through technology-driven inclusion,” Daudu said.

Parents and guardians interested in enrolling their children are encouraged to open a savings product designed for those under 16. (NAN)

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the Local Government election conducted last Saturday by Gov.

Mr Felix Morka, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, issued the statement on Sunday in Abuja, describing the election as being in defiance of court rulings.

“In blatant disregard for the rule of law and a valid judgment of the Court of Appeal, Gov.

He recalled that the Court of Appeal ruling of February 10 reinstated Local Government officials dismissed by Adeleke’s executive order, with the decision striking down a Federal High Court ruling from November 2022.

According to Morka, the Court of Appeal’s judgment nullified the previous ruling and reinstated the officials until the end of their term in October 2025.

He further criticised Adeleke’s actions in appointing illegal caretaker committees, violating Section 7(1) of the Constitution, and argued that the APC showed restraint and respect for the court’s decision.

Morka questioned why Adeleke, who swore to uphold the Constitution, failed to abide by a valid court order and termed the election a “sham” that wasted public funds and risked inciting violence.

He stressed that the governor must respect the law and the rights of the Osun people, calling on local government workers to peacefully continue their duties under the judicially reinstated officials.

Morka also urged security agencies to remain vigilant to prevent further unrest and called for the Federal Government to ensure that only democratically elected and judicially certified officials received local government funds in Osun.(NAN)