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In what appears to be a clear departure from the past, President Muhammadu Buhari has kept Nigerians guessing with respect to the appointment of key positions like the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the media and his publicity team. Unlike his predecessors and most state governors, Buhari had yet to announce the names and designations of those he has picked to perform these and other functions on Saturday. ADVERTISEMENT The various statements issued from the Office of the President at the Presidential Villa on Saturday were signed by Mr. Garba Shehu, the erstwhile Director of Media and Publicity of the now defunct All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council. Shehu told one of our correspondents on Saturday that the presidential campaign media team had continued to work for Buhari pending the official appointment of his spokespersons. “It is the same campaign team,” he said. When probed on whether Buhari would be addressing the country soon to declare hi...

Nigeria's change of government just ended in Abuja a moment ago with drama and glimpses of what Nigeria's future under the new rule holds. The swearing in of Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo as the president and vice president of the federal republic of Nigeria respectively. President Buhari is also the commader-in-chief of the country's armed forces. In a colourful ceremony, former President Goodluck Jonathan, looking more subdued than before, performed his final official duties as he handed over the instruments of office to the oncoming administration. Conspicuously absent is former First Lady Patience Jonathan. Shortly afterwards, vice president Yemi Osinbajo, resplendent in a white flowing agbada robe, accompanied by his wife, also decked in a white traditional Yoruba costume of iro erapper and buba blouse with white headtie, held aloft a copy of the Holy Bible and took his oath of office as administered by Mohammed Adoke, the chief justice if the federation, him...

Global attention shifts to the world’s most populous black nation on the planet, Nigeria, where the country’s fifth democratically elected president, Muhammadu Buhari, will be inaugurated today. Contrary to speculations, indications emerged on Thursday that the outgoing President, Goodluck Jonathan, will attend the historic occasion which would mark the first time a sitting president would hand over power to a victorious challenger. The event expected to be witnessed by many world leaders will take place at the Eagle Square, Abuja, the nation’s hilly capital city. As of the last count, no fewer than 20 world leaders have flown into the country in readiness to attend the ceremony. Activities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, peaked on Thursday as Presidents and representatives from many countries landed at the facility and were subsequently driven to their various hotels. The PUNCH learnt that Jonathan, whose administration had earlier expressed the wish to hand o...

 After its six-day siege at the Lekki Phase 1 residence of Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu, the personnel of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), this night pulled out completely.  Thisday reports that their withdrawal came a day after the agency had flouted a court directive ordering them to vacate Kashamu's residence.  In a statement signed by the media aide of the embattled senator-elect, Austin Oniyokor, he said Kashamu would address the media, Nigerians and the whole world on his ordeal after his medical check-up.  The statement said, "After six long nightmarish days and nights that the agents of the NDLEA laid siege to the Lagos residence of senator-elect, Prince Buruji Kashamu, despite valid and subsisting court orders directing them to vacate the place, we are pleased to announce that they have left the facility.  "They left at exactly 7:45pm. But this was after the agency displayed a high level of brigandage and lawlessness that is only...

Jose Mourinho believes Saturday’s game against Thailand All-Stars will provide the perfect opportunity for Chelsea supporters in the region to celebrate our Barclays Premier League title triumph. The Portuguese, speaking alongside John Terry and pictured with our Thailand All-Stars counterparts at a press conference in Bangkok, is delighted to be bringing his side to Thailand as champions. ‘The last time we came here we didn’t come as champions and it’s important for our fans in Thailand, we know we have a big fanbase here,’ said  Mourinho. ‘For them it’s not just a match, it’s the occasion to celebrate the Premier League title with us. After a long season it’s not an easy option to travel so far, but it became an easy option because we really wanted to come and enjoy it with our fans. It will be a good experience for the Thai players to play against us.’ The Blues secured the title with three games to spare this time around but, looking ahead to next season,  Mourinho ex...

Nigeria's credibility got an immense boost among the comity of nations today just as the country is on the cusp of an administration change tomorrow. The outgoing minister of agriculture, Mr. Akinwunmi Adesina, has been elected as the helmsman at the African Development Bank. Though the position was keenly contested, Adesina garnered enough support and votes from Nigeria's friends on the continent to get the coveted position. President-elect Muhammadu Buhari who will be sworn in tomorrow, at a juncture, gave massive support to Adesina's ambition and this has positively rubbed off on the minister. Change has indeed arrived.

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday restrained security agencies in Nigeria from arresting and transporting the Senator-elect for Ogun East Senatorial District, Mr. Buruji Kashamu, to the United States to stand trial on drug-trafficking offences.  Justice Okon Abang, in a judgement on Wednesday, declared as illegal, the arrest and extradition of Kashamu in relation to drug-trafficking allegations from which he had been exonerated by two British courts.  Abang granted Kashamu’s prayer that having earlier obtained a judgment in Nigeria in January 2014 barring his arrest and extradition and the judgment having not been set aside, he could not be arrested and extradited.  The judge awarded a cost in the sum of N20,000 against the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Attorney General of the Federation, the National Security Adviser to the President, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The Punch

A Kenyan lawyer has offered US president Barack Obama 50 cows and other assorted livestock in exchange for his 16-year-old first daughter Malia’s hand in marriage, AFP quotes a report. Felix Kiprono said he was willing to pay 50 cows, 70 sheep and 30 goats in order to fulfil his dream of marrying the first daughter. “I got interested in her in 2008,” Kiprono said, in an interview with The Nairobian newspaper. At that time President Obama was running for office for the first time and Malia was a 10-year-old. “As a matter of fact, I haven’t dated anyone since and promise to be faithful to her. I have shared this with my family and they are willing to help me raise the bride price,” he said. Kiprono said he intended to put his offer of marriage to Obama and hopes the president will bring his daughter with him when he makes his first presidential visit to Kenya, the country where his father was born, in July. Obama‘s Kenyan grandmother, who is in her early 90s, still lives in Kogelo...

 The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has upbraided vice president-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, accusing him of misrepresenting facts regarding the nation’s economy, particularly the correct status of the nation’s government debt stock. It stated that it was a further attempt by the in-coming All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to discredit the PDP. The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, monday criticised Osinbajo for failing to be bold and honest enough to also inform the nation that the bulk of the $63.7 billion debt was incurred by APC states. “It is indeed unfortunate that the vice president-elect who has the details of the debt stock chose to be economical with the truth and to mislead Nigerians just to discredit the current PDP-led administration and rationalise APC’s unpreparedness for governance. “Osinbajo is aware that the $63.7 billion is made up of external and domestic debts belonging not only to the federal government but ...

 It has emerged that the nationwide fuel shortage engineered by oil marketers was done to pressurise the outgoing administration led by President Goodluck Jonathan to pay them an additional N200 billion comprising outstanding claims and foreign exchange rate differential, even though the claims had not been verified and may have been spurious. Investigations by THISDAY have shown that contrary to the position by the oil marketers that they have been unable obtain new facilities from the banks to import petroleum products, the marketers were bent on getting the current administration to pay their claims before the end of its tenure because they were uncertain that the new administration led by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari would pay them on time. Sources in the presidency disclosed that the marketers decided to hold the nation to ransom in order to get their claims paid promptly by the outgoing administration without consideration for other sectors of the economy that need fundin...

 Major-General Muhammadu Buhari’s unannounced trip to the United Kingdom last week has caused disquiet among several bigwigs in his All Progressives Congress (APC) as it is the first clear signal that the President- Elect is a man of independent thinking determined to govern the Buhari way. Sources informed THISDAY that not only did the President-Elect choose not to inform the party’s leadership of his intending trip, he travelled to the UK with  only 2 Personal Assistants, Seriki Abba and a Mr Tunde . He was received at the door of the aircraft by High Commissioner Sarki Tafida and rode in the embassy official car to his usual central London holiday flat booked by his brother having rejected the hotel booked by the High Commission. His friend and backer of several decades, Mamman Daura was already waiting for him at the flat and they both drove in company of Seriki Abba to No 10 Downing Street to meet with British Prime Minister, David Cameron where they discussed issues r...

President Goodluck Jonathan monday night rejected the position of the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the  meeting held at the Banquet Hall,  Presidential Villa, the board’s secretary, Senator Wali Jibrin, said Jonathan declined the offer. According to him, the board appointed a former Minister of Defence, Dr. Haliru Bello, in acting capacity for a period two or three months. Jibrin noted that  at the end of the period, a substantive chairmen would be elected for the board and the party itself following the resignation of Alhaji Adamu Muazu. Bello, who was also a former acting national chairman of the party,  was said to be the only nomination made at the meeting.  He later told journalists that his preoccupation would be to reposition the party in a manner that it would remain the largest in Africa. Thisday

 The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused the federal government of allowing certain people it described as a cruel cabal, hold the nation to ransom by their attempt to arm twist the government into parting with billions of dollars in the name of fuel subsidy.  The congress noted that the demands for the billions “which it has not earned” has brought activities in the country to halt. In a statement issued ymonday and signed by its National President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the NLC called on President Goodluck Jonathan to take firm and decisive actions by calling to order all those that have brought the crises on Nigeria, particularly following constant reminders that he is still in charge of running the country. The implicit message in such a definitive action will show that no one – business men and women and their collaborators, in and out of government – is strong enough to hold the entire people of Nigeria and its government to ransom,” the statement read.  T...

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Monday failed to bring the senator-elect for Ogun-East senatorial district, Mr. Buruji Kashamu, before a Federal High Court, Lagos, for extradition hearing despite a declaration by the agency that he would be produced in court. The agency, whose operatives had laid siege to Kashamu’s residence in Lagos since Saturday, said on Sunday that it had received a formal extradition request on Kashamu from the United States government and was coming to court to secure an extradition order on Monday. Though Kashamu’s lawyer, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), had come to court early in anticipation of the NDLEA’s declaration, the agency, however, failed to bring Kashamu to court. Izinyon’s colleague, Mr. Ajibola Oluyede, who later came to court and appeared in chambers before Justice Ibrahim Buba with a fresh application, said the NDLEA failed to produce a warrant of arrest it claimed to have secured. Though Oluyede moved his ex parte application in chambers...

The National Association of Nigerian Students has advised South African President, Jacob Zuma, to stay away from the inauguration of the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari. The organisation also threatened to storm the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, should Zuma step into the country’s airport. According to the association, Zuma should keep off as his visit will be an insult to the sensibility of Nigerians over his alleged poor handling of the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other migrant foreigners in South Africa. A statement by NANS President, Tijani Usman, noted that Zuma’s inability to “apologise to Nigerians like he did to Mozambique”, despite the sacrifices the country made for South Africa, was unfortunate. He said, “We wish to advise the South African President (Jacob Zuma) to rather stay at home and address burning issues, rather than embarking on a visit that is the least desirable. “The South African President’s failure to apologise to Nigeria for the l...

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the election of a Senate President has taken a turn for the worse as some members of the party Saturday rejected the alleged adoption Senator Ahmed Lawan as consensus candidate. A statement signed by APC Youth Forum PRO, Olu Onemola said Lawan who is from the North-east cannot be adopted as party’s consensus candidate after the national working committee (NWC) of the party zoned the Senate Presidency to the North-central where Senator Bukola Saraki comes from. According to the group, “We are happy to see that 35 Senators-elect immediately rejected the alleged adoption of Lawan as the party’s consensus candidate. The business of electing the President of the Senate is vested in the hands of the lawmakers. So, for our party to continue to shine, we must be transparent in all our dealings.” The group also frowned on the news of Senator George Akume stepping down  for Lawan to contest as Deputy Senate President, saying tha...

e fuel scarcity situation in the country has taken a turn for the worse as reports on Saturday indicate. Investigations by our correspondents all over the country showed that most filling stations in the land are not selling Premium Motor Spirit also known as petrol. This, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt, escalated the already dire situation, forcing motorists and other consumers to the black market. Investigations also showed that the pump price of the product in the few filling stations who had it ranged from N120 to as high as N400 per litre. The high price of the product, according to our correspondents, has caused a hike in transport fare with the increase as high as 300 per cent in some places. Many commuters who were caught unawares by the development were seen trekking long distances to their destinations while others were forced to return home. Most filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory have shut down following the non-availability of the commodity. The few stations that...

An attempt by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to elect a consensus candidate for the leadership of the Senate at a retreat organised for Senators-elect in Abuja was frustrated on Saturday as two factions emerged from the camp, endorsing two separate candidates. The party leadership had planned to conduct a primary election for the 59 senators elected on the ticket of the party in order to produce a consensus candidate that would emerge as the next Senate President during the inauguration of the eighth National Assembly in June. However, few hours into the retreat, a group, which identified itself as Senate Unity Forum, walked out of the event and addressed a news conference where they declared that they had resolved to support the joint ticket of Senators Ahmad Lawan and George Akume for the Senate top posts. They circulated a resolution signed by Lawan (Yobe North), Akume (Benue North West) and the group’s spokesperson, Senator Barnabas Gemade, (Benue North East) wh...

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), said on Saturday that the house arrest which the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency placed on the Ogun-East Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu, was informed by a recent extradition request by the United States of America. Adoke told one of our correspondents on the telephone on Saturday that the request came last week. On May 6, the minister had disclosed to one of our correspondents that there was no extradition request for Buruji by the US. Adoke said this while responding to a suit filed by Kashamu to restrain the NDLEA and 13 others from extraditing him to the US. “The request came shortly after I spoke with you. It came last week,” he said. He said immediately his office received the request it was passed to the appropriate organ of government for implementation. The implementation process involves filing an extradition request before the appropriate division of the Federal High Court. R...

                            Since he lost the 2015 Presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan, has embarked on a last-minute rush to remove and replace heads of strategic government departments and agencies. This action has continued to generate controversies among Nigerians, many of whom are expressing mixed reactions on the development. An Abuja based Lawyer, Barrister Ogugua Ojeh, when asked if the president has the requisite powers to hire and fire in the twilight of his administration, said “in the constitution, through the relevant acts surrounding most of these government agencies, the president has the powers to appoint and dismiss whoever he pleases in as much as it is in accordance with the provisions of the law”. Ojeh also said that in a situation where the appointee feels he has been wrongfully dismissed, he or she should go to the...

Remember, Mega Mode Media exclusively told you of Kim Kardashian's second pregnancy that was still kept hush-hush by her and her family? Yes. Mrs. West is certainly expecting.Kim Kardashian on the cover of Glamour Kim Kardashian confirmed her second pregnancy on the cover of Glamour, Sunday, May 31. In and new cover story interview with Glamour, the reality star broke her silence about the happy news. "We are so beyond excited," Kardashian, 34, told the mag, confirming that she is pregnant again at press time two weeks after she sat down for the interview with Glamour. The news became public on Sunday evening, when a midseason teaser for Keeping Up With the Kardashians showed the mother to North West saying, "I just got the blood test back and I am pregnant!" The businesswoman looks trim and beautiful in the fashion spread with no hint of a baby bump in sight. Accompanied by cover lines reading, "'It's Been a Roller Coaster': Kim On Bruc...

The Minister of Finance/coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and her counterpart in the Petroleum Resources Ministry, Mrs. Deziani Allison-Madueke were on Friday directed by the Joint Senate Committees on Petroleum Resources, Upstream and Downstream, to appear before it on Monday next week to explain the incessant fuel scarcity in being experienced at the moment. The committee also ordered the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; Managing Director, Petroleum Pricing and Regulatory Agency; and the Director of the Department of Petroleum Resources to appear before it. Also expected to appear before the committee on Monday by 10.am at the National Assembly Complex are; Representatives of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria; Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Road Transport Owners.

Taylor Swift has broken the Vevo world record for most views in 24 hours with her new music video for Bad Blood.  The action-packed, star-studded project garnered 20.1 million views in just one day. Bad Blood has broken the record previously held by Nicki Minaj with her music video for Anaconda, which debuted in August 2014 to 19.6 million views in 24 hours. Scroll down for video  +6 You go girl! Taylor Swift has broken the Vevo world record for most views in 24 hours with her new music video for Bad Blood Taylor's new clip premiered at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, where the 25-year-old megastar swept up eight gongs, including Top Female Artist. Taylor took to Twitter to rejoice in her new record-breaking feat. She tweeted: 'FREAKING OUT RIGHT NOW YOU BROKE THE VEVO WORLD RECORD THANK YOU http://smarturl.it/BB24Hours #24hrVevoRecord #BadBloodMusicVideo' +6 Going viral: The action-packed star-studded project garnered 20....