IOC President invites Buhari to Lausanne

                                                                  Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd)

President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, has congratulated the President-elect, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) on his victory at the polls and also extended an invitation to him to visit the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

In a congratulatory message sent to Buhari and copied to the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Mr. Habu Gumel, the IOC President told Buhari that, “the election demonstrates the great confidence the people of Nigeria have in you. For your team, I wish you all the very best and a great success.”

Buhari, who will also become the Grand Patron of the NOC from May 29, was invited to the IOC headquarters by Bach.

Revealed: Plot to abduct Jega during presidential poll

                                                                   INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega

Fresh facts have emerged on the March 31 attempt by a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, to scuttle the announcement of the March 28 presidential election results.

The main part of Orubebe’s action, according to Reuters on Thursday, was a plot to use hired thugs     to kidnap the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and consequently stall the electoral process.

The news agency quoted unnamed pro-democracy advocates and a Nigeria-based diplomat as saying that one of Jega’s aides unearthed the plot.

It said that the aide had sent a text message to an independent voting monitor, “warning of an imminent threat to the electoral process.”

Former President Olusegun ObasaBuhari, Ezekwesili, Shekau among TIME’s 100 most influential persons

                                                                 Buhari, Ezekwesili, Adichie, Shekau

President-elect Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has made the TIME’s list of 100 most influential people in the world.

Also included in the 2015 list are a former Minister of Education and an advocate of the BringBackOurGirlsGroup, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili; award-winning novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, and leader of the Boko Haram terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau.

The TIME 100 is an annual list of 100 most influential people in the world whose works are changing the world, regardless of the consequences of their actions.

Described as “a new choice for Nigeria,” TIME’s Africa Bureau Chief, Aryn Baker, said Buhari made history in March by becoming the first candidate to oust a sitting Nigerian President through the ballot box.

Customs release Obasanjo’s My Watch

                                                                       Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

The Nigeria Customs Service on Thursday said that it had released former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s autobiography titled, My Watch.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the NCS Comptroller-General, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi, made the disclosure to newsmen when he inaugurated two new patrol boats of the service in Lagos.

Abdullahi said that the container was released following the vacation of an FCT High Court order restraining the former President from publishing, printing or offering for sale, his autobiography titled, “My Watch’’ on Tuesday.

“Customs got the initial order of the court to stop the container and now that the court asks us to release the container, so be it,” he said.

I’ll restore military ties with US –Buhari

                                              President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)

The President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Tuesday said his administration would restore military cooperation with the United States of America.

In an article published by the New York Times in its Tuesday edition, Buhari promised to among other things reformed the military.

The outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration had cancelled the training component of its military cooperation with the US citing a lack of sincerity on the part of the Americans for its decision.

But Buhari said, “My administration would welcome the resumption of a military training agreement with the United States, which was halted during the previous administration. We must, of course, have better coordination with the military campaigns our African allies, like Chad and Niger, are waging in the struggle against Boko Haram. But, in the end, the answer to this threat must come from within Nigeria.”

Jonathan rejects amended constitution

                                                                             President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected the amendments made to the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly, The PUNCH has learnt.

A top government official who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent on Tuesday that Jonathan vetoed the amendment on Monday.

The official said the decision of the President not to sign the document was because the amendment did not meet the provisions of Section 9 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.

The source explained that with the return of the document by the President, the letter accompanying it might be read on the floors of the two chambers of the National Assembly any time from Wednesday (today).

Nanny demands N15m for kidnapped Lagos children

A nanny, Mary Akinloye, who allegedly kidnapped three kids in the Surulere area of Lagos State has demanded N15m from the victim’s parents, PUNCH Metro has learnt.

Our correspondent learnt that the family was contacted on Thursday by the suspect and others, who were suspected to be members of her group. They were said to have demanded the N15m as ransom.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Wednesday that the Orekoya family had posted information on OLX, an online sales portal, seeking the service of a nanny.

Our correspondent reported that Akinloye indicated interest and gave the Orekoyas the contacts of two people who she said were her relatives.

CBN to publish names of ‘chronic’ bank debtors …to slash debit cardholders’ spending overseas

                                                                      CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Thursday expressed deep concerns about the growing amount of Non-Performing Loans in the books of Deposit Money Banks and said it would publish the names of chronic debtors.

The Director, Banking Supervision, CBN, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, who stated this at a press briefing after the 321st meeting of the Bankers’ Committee in Lagos, said the central bank, in collaboration with the committee, had also decided to stop the serial debtors from buying foreign currencies at the official interbank foreign exchange market.

Also to be stopped from buying foreign currencies, according to her, are members of the board of directors of debtor companies as well as their subsidiary firms.

Jonathan’s wife wants INEC to rig Rivers’ poll –Amaechi

                                                                        Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi

AHEAD of the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections, the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, of pressurising the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to rig the governorship election in the state.

Amaechi, who observed that President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife was in Okrika, her hometown, for the governorship election, hoped that there would not be a repeat of alleged electoral malpractices that happened on March 28 in the state.

The governor, who spoke during a stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday in Port Harcourt, said the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mrs. Gesila Khan, already had a mindset of delivering the state to the Peoples Democratic Party.

Ekiti APC lawmakers to CJ: Raise panel to probe Fayose

                                                                        Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose

The 19 All Progressives Congress members of   the Ekiti State House of Assembly have written to the state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, asking him to set up a panel to investigate the allegations contained in their impeachment notice to Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The seven-member panel which should be constituted   within seven days of the receipt of the letter is to investigate allegations of impunity, violence, stalking and other constitutional breaches the lawmakers levelled against Fayose and his deputy,   Kolapo Olusola.

The legislators reached the resolution at a special sitting presided over by their   Speaker,   Adewale Omirin, at the Mary Hills Boys’ High School, Ado Ekiti.

According to a statement by Omirin’s media aide,   Wole Olujobi, the lawmakers, in a unanimous vote, supported the motion directing the chief judge to set up the panel.

Jonathan fires Agwai as SURE-P chairman

                                                                  Lt. Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (retd.)

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday sacked Lt. Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (retd.) as the Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, five days after the former Chief of Army Staff delivered the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s 78th birthday lecture.

The President has named Mr. Ishaya Dare Akau as Agwai’s replacement.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President attributed Agwai’s sacking to the continuation of government’s efforts to continuously reposition Federal Government’s agencies for optimal delivery.

Agwai had, while delivering the Obasanjo lecture last Thursday, said change in the national leadership was inevitable and that the country’s leaders must accept it and move with it.

Kaduna denies Buhari access to rally venue – APC

                                                              Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)

The All Progressives Congress in Kaduna State on Tuesday said the Kaduna State government denied the party’s presidential candidate, Maj. Gen Muhammmadu Buhari (retd.), access to the Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna, for his North-West zonal rally ahead of the rescheduled March 28 and April 11 general elections.

Our correspondent learnt that preparation for the rally, which is expected hold today (Wednesday), had reached an advanced stage when the zonal office of the party was informed that the state had refused the party the permit to use the facility.

“The PDP is jittery already. They are simply afraid of the popularity strength of the APC in the state and indeed the northern part of the state,” a party official, who asked not to be named, said.

Champions League: Out-of-form Real face Schalke

                                                                                 Cristiano Ronaldo

European champions Real Madrid will expect to take another step closer to becoming the first team in 25 years to retain the Champions League when they host Schalke on Tuesday holding a 2-0 lead from the first leg of their last 16 tie, AFP reports.

Real have strung together 10 consecutive victories in Europe stretching back to their successful run to their 10th European Cup last season, but have found the going a lot tougher domestically in 2015.

Los Blancos surrendered their lead at the top of La Liga at the weekend as they were beaten 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao, whilst Barcelona thrashed Rayo Vallecano 6-1.

My critics have hidden agenda –LASU VC

                                                          Vice-Chancellor, LASU, Prof. John Obafunwa

The Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University, Ojo, Prof. John Obafunwa, says his critics in the institution are those who have skeletons in their cupboards.

This came as he said that the institution had uncovered a large number of workers with questionable school certificate results.

Obafunwa, who made this known while speaking to journalists in Lagos, however, did not give further details about the certificate fraud.

He only stated that an investigating panel was compiling the data with a view to making it public soon.

The university, in 2014, also withdrew the PhD certificates of 19 persons, including that of the ASUU-LASU Chairman, Dr. Adekunle Idris. The action has since put the VC and the ASUU leadership in the school at loggerheads with the latter claiming that the motive was to embarrass Idris.

Glo gives out N28bn free airtime to subscribers

Telecommunications company, Globacom, on Monday said about seven million subscribers had signed up to its ongoing ‘Overload Reloaded’ promotion and had benefitted from over N27.5bn worth of bonus airtime since the commencement of the promo.

The telecoms company said the subscribers were those who joined the promo platform by dialing its special code *200# and reloading their phones with airtime of N200 denomination or higher.

Globacom introduced the Overload promo late last year alongside some other promotions with the sole aim of exciting and delighting its customers.

In January, the promo was relaunched as Glo Overload Reloaded with additional benefits such as expanded bonus of 400 per cent bonus airtime for every recharge of N200 and above up from the 200 per cent bonus airtime initially given to customers for every recharge of N200 and above.

I hate violence – Patience Jonathan

                                                                                Mrs. Patience Jonathan

The wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on Monday told the presidential campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress that “she is a woman of peace that can never be identified with electoral violence.”

She said there was no way somebody like her who occupies the exalted office of the President of the African First Ladies Mission would be promoting violence under any guise.

Mrs. Jonathan who spoke with THE PUNCH through her media aide, Ayo Adewuyi, was reacting to the decision of the APC to report her to the International Criminal Court for allegedly asking supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party to stone anyone canvassing for change, the APC slogan, during a campaign rally in Calabar, Cross River State.

You’ll never be Awolowo, Bode George tells Tinubu

                                                                                             Bode George

A Peoples Democratic Party leader in Lagos State, Chief Bode George, says a former Governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, will never be like the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, no matter how hard he tries.

Tinubu, who is a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, is said to be largely responsible for the successful merger of the APC due to his influence across the South-West and parts of the South-South.

However, George, while addressing journalists during a meeting with beneficiaries of a scheme by the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, said Awolowo, during his time, ensured free education across the Western region when he was the premier.

First solar-powered plane begins flight

                                                                          The plane in the air

A Swiss solar-powered plane has taken off from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates marking the start of the first attempt to fly around the world without a drop of fuel, Al Jazeera reports.

The Solar Impulse 2, piloted by Andre Borschberg of Switzerland, took off at 7.12am local time (0412 GMT) on Monday from the UAE’s Al-Bateen airport and headed to Muscat, the capital of Oman, where it is expected to land later after the first leg of the journey.

The developers said the aim was to create awareness about replacing “old polluting technologies with clean and efficient technologies”.

Andre Borschberg, Solar Impulse co-founder, was at the controls of the single-seater when it took off from the Al Bateen airport in the UAE on Monday morning.

Jega, RECs to review card reader test tomorrow

                                                                             INEC Boss, Attahiru Jega

There were indications on Monday that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, would on Wednesday (tomorrow) review the outcome of the card reader test with Resident Electoral Commissioners.

The PUNCH learnt that the meeting would also review the commission’s readiness for the     March 28 and April 11 general elections.

An INEC commissioner, who confided in one of our correspondents, said, “The commission has been impressed by the testing of card readers. We are so happy that Nigerians are appreciating our efforts.

“Nothing can stop us from using the card readers, which we believe will eliminate fraud during the elections.”

FG slashes Works Ministry’s budget from N100bn to N11bn

                                                            Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen

The Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, said the ministry’s N100bn proposed budget for 2015 was slashed by the Ministry of Finance to N11bn, representing an 89 per cent slash.

Onolememen, who was in the Senate to defend his ministry’s estimates for the fiscal year, added that no sum was approved for   the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency’s capital projects   and the Office of the Surveyor -General of the Federation.

He said the Finance ministry predicated its action on the economic realities on the ground.

The minister expressed concern that only 33 out of the 210 ongoing road projects had been provided for in view of the “lean allocation” to the ministry.