The Federal Government has secured the release of Zainab Aliyu, the Nigerian lady who was detained in Saudi Arabia after Tramadol was found in her luggage.

Investigations by the NDLEA later showed that a cartel had planted the banned substance in Zainab's luggage.

Personal Assistant to President Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, announced that Zainab's release has been secured. Posting via his twitter handle, Bashir wrote

''The Federal Government has secured the release of Zainab Habibu Aliyu who was arrested in Saudi Arabia for alleged drug trafficking. Details soon from Ministry of Foreign Affairs. #FreeZainab''

After twenty-four hours in captivity, the Chairman Board of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Muhammed Mahmood and his daughter have regained their freedom.

An aide to the UBEC chairman, Husssain Danladi, who confirmed this development, said his boss and daughter were released at 1:30 pm today.

When prodded if any ransom was paid to secure his release, Danladi said that no money was paid for his release.

Mahmood and his daughter were abducted while traveling to Abuja from Kaduna when they were attacked.

The National Assembly has passed the 2019 Appropriation Bill. The N8.9 trillion budget was passed some minutes ago during the Senate’s plenary session headed by Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Note that the national budget was raised from N8.906 trillion to N8.916 ‎trillion.

While appreciating his colleagues for meeting the deadline for the passage of the budget, Saraki urged the Federal Government to ensure the budget is implemented on time in order to benefit Nigerians.

 “I WANT TO THANK OUR COLLEAGUES, PARTICULARLY FOR THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MEET TODAYS DEADLINE IN PASSING THE BILL AND THANK THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATION TOO.”- SENATE PRESIDENT,

“I HOPE THAT WITH THIS BUDGET PASSED, THE EXECUTIVE WILL ALSO ENSURE THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BUDGET FOR THE BENEFIT OF NIGERIANS AS A WHOLE.”

 “I want to thank our colleagues, particularly for their understanding and for us to be able to meet todays deadline in passing the Bill and thank the committee on appropriation too.”- Senate President, @bukolasaraki

 “I hope that with this Budget passed, the Executive will also ensure the full implementation of the Budget for the benefit of Nigerians as a whole.”- Senate President, @bukolasaraki

Senate beat its 2017 and 2018 records: The 2019 budget was passed five months after President Muhammadu Buhari presented the appropriation bill to the National Assembly in December 2018. This is an improvement compared to the passage of the 2017 and 2018 budget which took six months each.

Possible altercation between the NASS and President Buhari: There’s a possibility that the eventual signing of the bill by President Muhammadu Buhari could lead to another disagreement over some projects in the budget.

Recall that in 2018, President Buhari accused NASS of making changes to the budget in what was widely reported as budget padding. This action, he said, worried him a lot, even as he argued that the Executive decides its policies and budgets and not the legislature.

Why President Buhari condemned NASS in 2018: The National Assembly made cuts amounting to N347 billion in the allocations to 4,700 projects submitted to them for consideration and introduced 6,403 projects of their own amounting to N578 billion Naira.

Although there is no current report that the Senate has cut budget for any projects, that, however, will likely be revealed after the signing of the budget into law by President Buhari.

When President Buhari will sign the bill: While there’s no official date as to when President Buhari will sign the budget into law, history shows he probably will sign the budget in June as he did in 2018 and Yomi Osinbajo did in June 2017.

However, in 2016, President Buhari signed the budget in May, a month before June, which seem to have become the preferred month in the last two years.

By Fakoyejo Olalekan

An 18-year-old student from New York is suing Apple after being falsely identified and arrested for robbery using the company's facial recognition software.

The student, Ousmane Bah filed $1 billion lawsuit against the company on Monday, April 22.

In the lawsuit, the teenager claims that the software incorrectly identified him as the robber in multiple thefts in Apple Stores across several states, according to a report from The Verge.

A photo was reportedly a part of the warrant that was used to arrest Bah who vehemently denied that it was him in the image.

According to the New York Post, the thief in Boston stole $1,200 worth of merchandise from the store on May 31, 2018. The same person proceeded to steal more products in Apple Stores in Delaware, Manhattan, and New Jersey.

While Bah was arrested by the NYPD for the string of robberies on Nov. 29, 2018.

The student denied the allegations, saying that he was at his senior prom in Manhattan at the time of the robbery.

NYPD detective John Reinhold also confirmed that Bah was not the person caught in the surveillance camera at the Manhattan Apple Store. Reinhold also went on to explain in the lawsuit that Apple uses facial recognition technology to identify suspects of theft.

But a representative from Apple told The Verge that the company doesn't actually have facial recognition technology in their stores.

Security Industry Specialists who have a long working relationship Apple, are the second defendant in Bah's lawsuit. They are said to have assisted Apple in analyzing the security footage and used facial recognition software to identify Bah.

The lawsuit claims that both Apple and SIS participated in wrongful actions that led to emotional distress, defamation, and slander, among others.

According to the reports, charges against Bah have been dropped everywhere except New Jersey, where a case is still pending.

President Buhari will today Thursday April 25th, proceed to the UK on a private visit.

A statement from Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity said the president would pay official visit to Maiduguri from where he would proceed to the UK. The presidential aide further revealed that President Buhari would return to Nigeria on May 5.

The statement read in part:

”Further to the official visit by President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos Wednesday where he commissioned a number of projects executed by the State Government, the President is scheduled to depart for Maiduguri, the Borno State capital for another official visit Thursday. He is expected to commission developmental projects especially in the sectors of education, healthcare and roads.

”At the end of the visit, President Buhari will be proceeding to the United Kingdom on a private visit. He is expected to return to Nigeria on May 5, 2019.”

American singer and actress, Selena Gomez, who has suffered a series of breakups, has now admitted she would want someone to 'love her for the person she is.

The 26-year-old 'Back To You' singer made her intention known on the Dream It Real podcast on Wednesday.

Selena told the show's host, Heben Nigatu, that she often feels misjudged when it comes to her heart.

She said: 'I think that a lot of people don't understand my heart, you know?'

'I also don't like that, it can sometimes be about appearance, too. I don't really appreciate people judging me on my looks, or anything like that.'

Due to all that judgement and misunderstanding, Selena said she desires someone who will love her for who she truly is. 

'I just think that the world today, with so much exposure to everything… it's great to dress up and to feel beautiful and to do those things, but...and I'm flattered when, maybe, guys are like, 'You're pretty,' I am, it's just not… I would just love someone to love me for the person that I am. That's just what's important to me,' she said.

In 2018, Selena had a rocky relationship with her on again, off again boyfriend, Justin Bieber who left her and got married to Hailey Baldwin.

That split followed her relationship with The Weeknd, who both also broke up. The singer has since moved on with his on and off partner, Bella Hadid.

The father of two of the Sri Lanka suicide bombers has been arrested on suspicion of aiding his sons, Sri Lanka's former navy chief said.

Millionaire spice trader Yoonus Ibrahim, who is the wealthy father of Inshaf and Ilham Ibrahim, has been arrested for helping the pair to carry out bomb attacks at two hotels in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Easter Sunday.

Jayanath Colombage, who is now a counter-terrorism expert at the Pathfinder Foundation, confirmed the arrest today.

Well educated and successful brothers, Inshaf and Ilham Ibrahim were responsible for the bomb blasts in luxury Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand hotels in Colombo on Easter Sunday. The brothers detonated their suicide vests as guests were eating breakfast.

Their attacks claimed the lives of at least 41 foreigners, including eight British holidaymakers - three of whom were children.

Hours later, as police raided their mansion in an exclusive neighbourhood of Colombo, Ilham's pregnant wife Fatima blew herself up, killing her three children and three officers. 

Inshaf was a successful businessman and owned a copper factory (pictured below) thought to be where the explosives were made and that was raided by police.

Former US vice president Joseph R. Biden Jr. has announced his decision to run for president for the third time to challenge President Trump in 2020.

The 76-year-old Democrat politician who served eight years as Barack Obama’s vice president after more than three decades in the U.S. Senate made the announcement in a campaign video released Thursday morning.

The core values of this nation… our standing in the world… our very democracy...everything that has made America -- America --is at stake. That’s why today I’m announcing my candidacy for President of the United States. #Joe2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbOU2fTg6cI …

Explaining his reasons for running, Mr. Biden began by recalling the white supremacist march through Charlottesville, Va., in 2017 and a counterprotest, and Mr. Trump’s comment that there were “very fine people on both sides.” In that moment, Mr. Biden said, “I knew the threat to our nation was unlike any I’d ever seen in my lifetime.”

“We are in the battle for the soul of this nation,” Mr. Biden said. “I believe history will look back on four years of this president and all he embraces as an aberrant moment in time. But if we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation, who we are, and I cannot stand by and watch that happen.”

Biden’s first major campaign event is set for Monday in Pittsburgh, where he is expected to speak about rebuilding an inclusive middle class, according to NBC News. Biden will then launch a multistate campaign tour with a focus on states with early voting, where he will hash out his vision for closing the divides that are driving Americans apart, NBC reported.

President Buhari will on Wednesday May 22nd dissolve his cabinet.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this to state house correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting which was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The last session of the FEC will come one week before the swearing-in of President Muhammadu Buhari for his second term on May 29th.

Recall that President Buhari defeated PDP's Atiku Abubakar in the February 23rd presidential election.

Huge sums of cash have been discovered by anti-corruption investigators at ex President Omar al Bashir's former residence, less than two weeks after he was kicked out of office in a military coup.

Senior public prosecutor in Sudan, Mutasim Mahmoud, in a statement, announced the seizure of $351 million, €6,7 million, and SDG 5 billion ($105 million) at the residence.

He confirmed that the cash is secure within the vaults of the Bank of Sudan, and that charges will be filed against Bashir under the foreign exchange and money laundering law.

Reuters quoted a source in Sudan’s judiciary as saying suitcases loaded with more than $351,000, €6m ($6.7m; £5.2m) and five billion Sudanese pounds ($105m) were found at Bashir’s home. The agency said the source also confirmed that Bashir was under investigation and that prosecutors would “question the former president in Kobar prison”. 

Al Jazeera said as president, al-Bashir often played up his humble beginnings as the child of a poor farming family in Hosh Bannaga, a small village consisting mainly of mud houses on the eastern bank of the Nile some 150km north of Khartoum. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in the country’s Darfur region but the military which is in charge of the country has vowed not to extradite him. 

The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which organised the protests that forced al-Bashir out of power, has expressed dissatisfaction with the military taking control of the country but the military council has resisted calls to hand over power to a civilian body. The association has vowed to stay on the streets until there is a move to civilian rule.

British singer, Adele and her estranged husband Simon Konecki who both recently announced their shock split after three years of marriage will reportedly be heading for a £145 million divorce battle.

According to The Mirror, Adele and Simon are said to have made the decision to go their separate ways before Christmas.

Rumours over the state of their marriage began in February after charity entrepreneur Simon, 45, showed up to this year's Brit Awards without the singer, 30, by his side.

A source told the website: 'The Brits were confirmation in a way. Everyone was hoping Adele would come but she stayed away. Things had already broken down for a while.

The source continued: 'There were whispers running up to the Brits that Adele and Simon's relationship was over, but Simon was in such a good mood at the party, everyone hoped it wasn't true,' said the friend.  

The former couple - who share son Angelo, six, are now said to be gearing up for a multi-million-pound divorce which could see Simon entitled to up to half of the Tottenham-born hitmaker's £145m fortune.

They are understood not to have signed a pre-nup agreement.

Paris Saint-Germain won the French Ligue 1 title for a sixth time in seven seasons on Sunday after second-placed Lille failed to win at Toulouse. 

Qatar-backed PSG are 16 points ahead of Lille who have five games of the season to play after only losing on three occasions in another dominant league campaign. 

The Parisians host 2017 winners Monaco later Sunday with the world’s most expensive player in Neymar set to return from a foot injury.

Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari has revealed how the Emir of Zurmi once asked him to “go and wipe out” Dumburum Village because it has been a hideout for bandits for over three years.

Yari said this while insisting that the government will not apologise over allegations by council chiefs in the state that villagers were killed during aerial bombardment of suspected bandit camps in Dumburum village, Zurmi Local Government Area of the state, by the Nigeria Air Force (NAF).

Speaking on Saturday while receiving a seven-member investigative team on the matter at his private residence in Talata-Mafara, Yari maintained that the NAF had only targeted bandits.

“As far as I am concerned and as the head of government in the state, l haven’t seen anything wrong done by the Air Force; l haven’t received any brief on such matter,” he said.

“Dumburum has been a criminal hideout for over three years and the Emir of Zurmi has once asked me to go and wipe out the area saying all those residing there were bandits, so l am surprised that the Emir will be part of those saying innocent people were killed in an encounter in the area.

“Some people will stay in Abuja and fabricate things against the operations in Zamfara in order to distract the operation, this we must not allow.

“Please, all security agencies, especially the Air Force, should continue with your usual constitutional duties and the state government will give you all the support to facilitate your concentration in trying to bring back peace, which has eluded the state since 2007.

“You should continue with the firepower to show the criminals that there is a government in place and we won’t negotiate with them again because when we did that in the past; the leaders pretended as if all was well while they allowed their boys to continue to lay siege on the communities.”

Idi Lubo, leader of the investigative team, handed over a letter of condolence from Sadique Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff, to Yari, and promised to “unravel the truth” about the killings.

“The chief of air staff has directed us to properly investigate the matter in order to unravel the truth,” he said.

“We have visited other stakeholders and discovered that there was misinformation which we have now resolved and wish to assure the people of the state that we shall continue to discharge our assigned responsibilities in protecting the innocent with professionalism.”

While in the state, the team also visited heads of security agencies, traditional rulers and government officials.

The new hybrid role could see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex combine Commonwealth and charity work and promoting Britain but take them out of the UK for at least two to three years.

It would allow Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, a break from divisions that have rocked the royals in recent months, it is claimed.  A source told The Sunday Times: “Discussions are at an early stage, but the plan is to find a new way of using their soft power abilities, most likely in Africa.” 

A decision on where royal "rock stars" Harry and Meghan would be based is not due until 2020, The Sunday Times reports. But the Duke of Sussex has strong links to Africa and spent his 2004 gap year in Lesostho, where he started a charity.  Harry and Meghan are said to have fallen in love in Botswana, which the prince refers to as his ‘second home’.

Zenith Bank has released its results for the first quarter ended in March 2019. Here are the key highlights of the results.

Gross Earnings

Gross earnings dipped from N169 billion in 2018 to N158 billion in 2019. This amounts to a 6.9 decline year on year.

Profit before tax

Profit before tax, however, rose from N54 billion in 2018 to N57.2 billion in 2019. This amounts to a 5.9% increase year on year.

Profit after tax

Profit after tax also increased from N47 billion in 2018 to N50.2 billion in 2019. This amounts to a 6.8% increase year on year.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has said that, as an oil producing country, sale of electric cars in Nigeria should be frustrated, “this will enable us to sell our oil,” he argued. 

Ekweremadu spoke at the Plenary today as the senators debated a bill sponsored by Senator Ben Murray-Bruce (PDP Bayelsa East ). Ben Murray-Bruce had sponsored a bill for an Act to phase out petrol vehicles by 2035 and introduce electric cars.

In his argument, the senator had argued that electric cars are healthy, economical and would not deplete the ozone layer.

 “In no distant time, combustible vehicles would be phased out; and the earlier Nigeria buys into the change, the better. I own an electric car that I have been using for the past five years. It is cheaper to maintain and durable,” the senator added.

The bill ignited debates in the hallowed chamber, as each senator aired reasons for the rejection of the bill. In his submission, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu commended Murray-Bruce for his “uncommon common sense and brilliant ideas,” but noted that the ancillary to Section 41 of the 1999 Constitution grants Nigerians freedom of movement; and that there is no need to introduce a law to mandate the use of electric cars. 

Ekweremadu added, “besides, in economic sense, we are an oil producing country. So, we should do everything possible to frustrate the sale of electric cars in Nigeria to enable us to sell our oil.”

Senator Barau Jibrin (APC-Kano) said while electric vehicles no doubt would be more friendly to the environment and health, making its use mandatory was not feasible. “We have to look at individual networth. Not all Nigerians can afford the vehicles at a given time.  “We all know the importance of vehicles in our daily activities. So, banning use of fuel cars will cause hardship, particularly for those who may not be able to acquire electric cars. 

The ex-president was rushed to hospital, but doctors could not save him.

As police officers knocked on his door on Wednesday morning, Garcia shut himself in his room and shot himself in the head. The former leader was rushed to hospital, reportedly suffered multiple cardiac arrests during surgery, and died several hours later.

Peruvian president Martin Vizcarra confirmed Garcia's passing, sending his condolences to the late leader's family and loved ones.

Garcia, who served as president of Peru from 1985 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2011, had been under investigation for bribery.

The former president was one of more than 230 people across Latin America investigated in a corruption case centered on Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht.

The former leader sought asylum in Uruguay last November, after a judge barred him from leaving Peru for 18 months. The asylum request was denied, and a judge in Lima ordered his detention on Tuesday.

Prosecutors say Garcia took bribes from Odebrecht in exchange for a lucrative public transport contract in Lima. Garcia denied the charge, and claimed he was being politically persecuted.

Peru’s last five ex-presidents have all served jail time or are under investigation for corruption.

Garcia’s successor, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, is also being investigated for his alleged involvement in the Odebrecht scandal.

Prosecutors are currently seeking to extend Kuczynski’s detention until he can be brought to trial.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, says Nigeria currently produces 90 per cent of the rice consumed in the country. The Minister who last month said people import Pizza to Nigeria from the UK, said this when he spoke at the 2019 Annual Research Review and Planning meeting which held at the Balarabe Tanimu Conference Hall at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria, Kaduna State yesterday Tuesday April 16th.

Ogbeh, who was represented by Karima Babangida, the Director of Extension Services in the ministry, said this was achievable because of the massive suport the Federal government was giving local rice farmers. 

“One very good example that we see today is the home-grown Nigerian rice. Hitherto, Nigeria has been a major and largest importer of rice from Thailand and this implies largest importer in the world. But today, we have been able to achieve a paradigm shift in the right direction and we are now producing 90 per cent of the rice we eat in the country, I think we should appreciate our farmers here.

Nigeria does not only have the capacity to feed itself, it also becomes a major actor in agricultural exports to other African countries, Europe and American countries, including the Far East, especially China.” he said

Former Vice President and PDP Presidential candidate in the February 23rd presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, has insisted the result from the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shows he defeated President Buhari in the presidential election.

In his submission to the presidential election tribunal, Atiku gave the “unique MAC address and Microsoft product ID of the INEC server” from where the results were obtained.

INEC had on February 27th, declared that President Buhari polled a total of 15,191,847 votes to defeat Atiku who polled a total of 11,262,978 votes.

However in his petition submitted at the election tribunal, Atiku claimed he polled a total of 18,356,732 votes to defeat Buhari, who, according to what the INEC server showed his team, polled 16,741,430 votes.

INEC while reacting to Atiku's claim, said the figures that was presented by the PDP canidate were forged.

In response to INEC’s claim, Atiku and the PDP in a statement released today, said the  address of the server from which the results were obtained are unique to INEC.

“The Servers from which the said figures were derived belong to the first Respondent (INEC). The figures and votes were transmitted to the first Respondent’s Presidential Result’s Server 1 and thereafter aggregated in INEC_PRES_RSLT_SRV2019, whose Physical Address or unique Mac Address is 94-57-A5-DC-64-B9 with Microsoft Product ID 00252-7000000000-AA535. The above descriptions are unique to the 15t Respondent’s Server,” they said.

“There is no conjecture in the votes and scores in the table pleaded by the Petitioners. The figures are factual. The Spokesperson for the 2nd Respondent’s Campaign Organization openly admitted that the data in question was in the first Respondent’s Server when he wrote and submitted a petition to the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) asking the Security agencies to investigate the 2nd Petitioner herein for allegedly hacking into the Server of the 1St Respondent and obtaining the data in question.

“Specifically, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, the Spokesperson of the 2nd Respondent claimed in the said petition that it was the first Petitioner who smuggled the data into the Server.”

Atiku and the PDP also alleged the INEC chairman “committed grave errors in the final collation exercise” for the election by “falsely crediting” some persons with political parties, including “Okotie Christopher, Reverend Dr. Onwubuya and Ojinika Jeff Chinze.”

“The grave errors referred to in paragraphs 4 and 5 above were under the hands and signature of the first Respondent’s Chairman, (who was also the Returning Officer) in the conduct of the final collation of the results of the Presidential Election,” they added.

“The Petitioners state that the final results as declared by the first respondent are those that were transmitted online to the website of the first Respondent (www inecnigeria.org).”

Seattle Seahawks Quarterback, Russell Wilson is now the highest-paid player in National Football League after signing a four-year contract worth $140 million with his club on Tuesday morning.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Wilson's contract includes a $65 million signing bonus.

Wilson also took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to reveal that he had struck a deal to remain with the Seahawks:

The 30-year-old who helped the Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014, is now under contract with the Seahawks through 2023 and his deal includes a no-trade clause.

Mrs Priscilla Ekwere Eleje has made history by becoming the first woman to have her signature on the 1000 Naira note.

Mrs Ekwere Eleje is the first female Director of Currency Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. She has also been confirmed as the substantive director of CBN.

Mrs Eleje was reportedly confirmed Substantive Director of CBN on August 30, 2018, and currencies printed from then on will carry her signature.

A recently printed 1000 Naira note was shared online and it shows the signature of Mrs Priscilla Ekwere Eleje.

In an epic for the ages, Tiger Woods reached the pinnacle of his return to the game by winning his fifth green jacket and 15th major championship today April 14th in the 83rd edition of the Masters. 

Staring at the abyss just two years ago when he was bedridden and thinking his career was over due to a painfully disorderly back, Woods was stoic and steady throughout the week at Augusta National Golf Club despite the roars echoing through the Georgia pines. 

With a final-round 2-under-par 70 in his Sunday red mock turtleneck, Woods won on these hallowed grounds for the first time since 2005. It also marked his first triumph in a major championship since the 2008 U.S. Open.

Starting the day two shots behind leader Francesco Molinari, Woods finished at 13 under par and one shot ahead of Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka. When his final putt dropped on 18, Woods gave a fist pump with his right hand then lifted both arms overhead in joy.

After sharing a hug with his caddie, Joe LaCava, Woods found his son, Charlie, who ran up and gave dad a big hug, followed by Tiger's mom, Kultida, his daughter, Sam, and girlfriend, Erica Herman.

"It’s come full circle. My dad was here in '97 and now I'm the dad with two kids here," Woods said.  About thirty minutes after his final putt, Woods said the monumental win had not sunk in yet. "You couldn't have had more drama than what we had out there. Now I know why I'm balding," he joked. "This stuff is hard."

The Independent National Electoral Commission has distanced itself from the “server results” which the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, are laying claim to as the “true results” of the February 23 election. 

INEC said this in its reply to the petition filed before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal by the PDP and Atiku to challenge the outcome of the February 23 election. The commission, through its lead counsel, Yunus Usman (SAN), said the results of the poll were never transmitted or collated electronically. 

It added that it kept no such server where such electronically transmitted results could have been obtained. INEC had on February 27, 2019 declared that the All Progressives Congress alongside its candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, won the February 23 election with 15,191,847 votes to defeat his closest rival, Atiku, who it said polled 11,262,978 votes. But the petitioners stated that “from the data in the 1st respondent’s (INEC’s) server…the true, actual and correct results” from the “state to state computation” showed that Atiku polled a total of 18,356,732 votes to defeat Buhari who they said scored 16,741,430 votes. 

They said the results were the total votes scored by the candidates in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, as there was “no report on sever” about the results from Rivers State as of February 25, 2019. By calculation, Atiku and the PDP claimed to have defeated Buhari by 1,615,302 votes. But the commission, urging the tribunal to dismiss the petition, said in its reply filed on April 10, that the petitioners’ claims were false. 

The INEC’s Director, Information and Communications Technology, Mr Chidi Nwafor, in his witness statement on oath attached to the reply, specifically denied the “server results” which the petitioners were laying claim to. He said all the results were collated manually and were never transmitted electronically.   

Nwafor added that Buhari was duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast at the presidential election.

He stated, “That the petitioners are claiming that votes recorded at the various polling units were electronically transmitted, and stored in the 1st respondent’s (INEC’s) server. That the petitioners are also claiming that based on the server contents, they and not the 2nd and 3rd respondents won the presidential election.

“That these claims of the petitioners are false as I know as a fact that the 2nd respondent was duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast at the presidential election and scored at least a quarter of the lawful votes cast at the election in 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, more than two-thirds of all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.” 

Nwafor also stated, “That the petitioners did not win the majority of the lawful votes cast and did not satisfy the mandatory constitutional requirement to be declared winner having polled 11,262,978 and one quarter of all lawful votes cast in 29 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja as against the 2nd respondent who scored 15,191,847 votes cast and one quarter of the lawful votes cast in 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. 

“That the lawful and recognised computation of results is manually done using Electoral Form EC8 series and not the table pleaded by the petitioners given that the said table is not the result collated and declared by the 1st respondent. That I know as a fact that the details contained in the table in the paragraph 22 of the petition are inaccurate. 

“That I know that mode of transmitting/collating election results is manual, using Forms EC8As, EC8Bs, EC8Cs and EC8Ds and not electronically done. That I know that the Manual Technologies 2019 and demonstration videos referred to in paragraph 27 are internal training materials.”

Nigerian-born fighter Israel Adesanya knocked out his American opponent Kelvin Gastelum twice in the main event of the UFC 236 and claimed the UFC interim middleweight title on Sunday morning. 

The Nigerian was announced the winner via unanimous decision in an epic five-round fight that would go down as a classic. Adesanya (17-0) repeatedly dropped a bloody Gastelum late in a savage Round 5 en route to a unanimous decision (48-46, 48-46, 48-46) following a see-saw battle that left the State Farm Arena crowd in hysterics on its feet. 

It was a thrilling fight at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta that had everyone on the edge of their seats as both fighters left each other bloodied and battered. But it was Adesanya who was announced as the winner via unanimous decision (48-46, 48-46, 48-46) to win an interim championship belt. 

The fight was intense from the first round but it was Gastelum who started the fiercer as he put Adesanya in defense mode. Adesanya got Gastelum with a counter right punch that knocked down the American. Adesanya’s intensity increased from that moment and he punched with much more consistency.  Gastelum, however, wasn’t ready to give up yet and he returned fired up in round three although he couldn’t land a punch on Adesanya.  In the fourth round, he continued with his intensity and knocked out Adesanya in the final minutes of that round.

In round five, Gastelum attacked Adesanya more, looking for that takedown but the Nigerian countered smartly and with much agility.  In the final minutes of round five, it was Adesanya who attacked Gastelum with enthusiasm and he eventually dropped the American fighter with an elbow and he followed up with a ground-and-punch.  Gastelum wasn’t out but at the end of the fifth round, Adesanya was declared the winner to remain undefeated in his professional career.

Mavin Records boss, Michael Ajereh popularly known as Don Jazzy has once again spoken on his marital status as he clocks 36 later in the year. 

In an exclusive telephone chat with Saturday Beats, the ‘Dorobucci’ crooner noted that though he is in a relationship at the moment, he is not in a hurry to get married.

In his words, “I don’t bring up issues about my relationship status on purpose. People always talk about it though It is not difficult to find a wife; there are many beautiful women out there. It is not like I am ready; I am not the perfect version of what I would like to be to my wife and family.

I want to work on myself until I am ready. By the time I am ready, if someone still wants to be with me, that would be great. It is not like I am looking for a wife and cannot find one. There are lots of nice and beautiful ladies out there. I don’t think I am there yet. I am not in a hurry.

If time passes and nobody wants to marry me, then so be it but for now, I don’t feel I have worked on myself enough. I don’t want a scenario where I would get married and my music or business would take me away and the next thing would be that my wife would start complaining that I am hardly around.

Then people would start saying he doesn’t care about his family. I don’t need that type of talk in my life. Let me be on my own, whenever I am ready, I am ready. I have a girlfriend; I have had different girlfriends in the last 10 years. I can’t just be single; I never said I was celibate. The relationship can break, she can leave me and go, and it is possible. 

“My other ex-girlfriends left me, they didn’t break my heart, they just moved on, some of them are married now, if they were still waiting for me, they won’t be married by now. People have their personal agendas and it is understandable. For me, I am not in a hurry.” 

He also emphasised that he does not have a child outside wedlock, stressing that to the best of his knowledge, nobody has had a child for him. He said,

“I didn’t hear anything about having a child outside wedlock. I don’t have a child yet or maybe somebody has a child for me somewhere and they don’t want me to know about it but I don’t know why they won’t want me to know about such a thing.If anyone has a child for me, they should bring the child forward. To the best of my knowledge, I don’t have a child yet.”

The All Progressive Congress (APC) has filed a motion at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja that the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the poll, Atiku Abubakar, is not a Nigerian and therefore not qualified to have stood for the election.

The party in its petition filed by its counsel, Lateef Fagbemi, claimed that the former Vice President is a Cameroonian and not a Nigerian citizen and his petition against President Muhammadu Buhari, its own candidate, should be dismissed for lacking in merit.

In a reply to the petition of Atiku and the PDP praying for their declaration as the lawful winner of the presidential poll, the APC said that the 11.1 million votes recorded in favor of the two petitioners should be voided and considered a waste by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

The APC faulted the candidacy of Atiku in the election insisting that as a Cameroonian, he ought not to have taken part in the presidential poll of Nigeria in the first instance. According to the APC, Atiku was born on November 25th 1946, in Jada, Adamawa, in Northern Cameroon and is, therefore, a citizen of Cameroon and not a Nigerian by birth.

The party also claimed that prior to 1919, Cameroon was being administered by Germany and that following the defeat of Germany in World War 1, which ended in 1918, Cameroon became part of a League of Nations mandate territory which consisted of French Cameroon and British Cameroon in 1919.

APC further argued that in 1961, a plebiscite was held in British Cameroon to determine whether the people preferred to stay in Cameroon or align with Nigeria.

According to the party, while Northern Cameroon preferred a union with Nigeria, Southern Cameroon chose alignment with the mother country and that it was as a result of the plebiscite that Northern Cameroon, which included Adamawa, became a part of Nigeria.

APC, therefore, said that contrary to the assertion of Atiku in his petition, he (Atiku) had no right to be voted for as a candidate in the election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria held on February 23, 2019.

The party went on to state that by reason of Atiku not having qualified to contest the election, all votes purportedly cast for him and the PDP in the February 23rd election are wasted votes.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the petition.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have been drawn with Guinea, Madagascar and Burundi in Group B of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Egypt.

Defending champions, Cameroon will take on Ghana, Benin, and Guinea Bissau Group F.

The draw for the 32nd AFCON finals held in Cairo, Egypt on Friday night.

The tournament will take place in six venues: Cairo International Stadium; Borg El-Arab Stadium, Alexandria; Suez Stadium; Air Defence Stadium; Ismailia Stadium and; Al Salam Stadium in Egypt between June 21 and July 19.

The first kickoff will be between Egypt and Zimbabwe.

Nigeria’s ability to repay its N24.39 trillion debt is in question after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expressed concern about the rollover risks, arguing Nigeria’s capacity to refinance might drop in the future.

The concern was raised by the Financial Counsellor and Director, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF, Tobias Adrian, while presenting the Global Financial Stability Report at the ongoing joint annual spring meetings with the World Bank in Washington DC.

Nigeria’s total external and domestic debts rose to N24.387 trillion in 2018. Debt Management Office disclosed that Total Public Debt stood at N24.387 trillion as of December 31, 2018, representing a year-on-year increase of 12.25% in Nigeria’s debt stock.

“NIGERIA HAS BEEN BORROWING IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS BUT WE WORRY. SO, ON THE ONE HAND, THAT IS VERY GOOD BECAUSE IT ALLOWS NIGERIA TO INVEST MORE; BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, WE DO WORRY ABOUT ROLLOVER RISKS GOING FORWARD.

“AT THE MOMENT, FUNDING CONDITIONS IN ECONOMIES SUCH AS NIGERIA AND OTHER SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN COUNTRIES ARE VERY FAVOURABLE BUT THAT MIGHT CHANGE AT SOME POINT. AND THERE IS A RISK OF ROLLOVERS AND THERE IS THE RISK OF WHETHER THESE NEEDS FOR REFINANCING CAN BE MET IN THE FUTURE.”

Federal Government rebuff IMF claim

The Nigerian Government countered IMF statement, saying the nation’s debt burden is sustainable, adding that the debt burden will have no negative impact on Nigeria’s economy.

While reacting to IMF‘s statement, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo-Udoma said steps are being taken to ensure Nigeria doesn’t have a debt problem.

One of the steps is widening of tax collection- This is according to Udoma who spoke after the end of Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

“WITH REGARD TO OUR DEBTS, OUR DEBTS ARE SUSTAINABLE.

“WE DO HAVE A REVENUE CHALLENGE AND WE ARE FOCUSING ON THAT. ONCE THE REVENUES COME UP, IT WILL BE OBVIOUS THAT WE DON’T HAVE A DEBT PROBLEM AT ALL.

“WE ARE WORKING ON A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES TO INCREASE OUR REVENUES. WE ARE LOOKING AT INITIATIVES TO WIDEN THE TAX BASE. WE ARE LOOKING AT INITIATIVES TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY IN COLLECTION.

“WE ARE LOOKING AT A SINGLE WINDOW, WHICH WILL HELP TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY, CUSTOM COLLECTIONS. WE ARE LOOKING AT MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO IMPROVE REVENUES.

“THE DEBTS ARE SUSTAINABLE; EVERY NATION BORROWS. WE ARE WORKING ON INCREASING OUR REVENUES.”

By Fakoyejo Olalekan

Former Vice President of Nigeria and PDP Presidential candidate in the February 23rd presidential election, Atiku Abubakar has described as “total fabrication” an allegation that has been making the rounds that he spent $30,000 to hire a US lobby group to persuade the US Congress to stop the inauguration of President Buhari.

Reacting to what he calls “shameless lies” by the Buhari campaign organization, Atiku’s Media Adviser, Paul Ibe in the statement released last night, said the latest dirty propaganda against the former Vice President “didn’t come as a surprise to us because lying has so far become their only bragging rights of competence.”

Ibe explained that “lying has become a culture to the APC administration and therefore, we are not surprised by their latest diversionary allegations.”

The statement in part reads

''Since Atiku resisted pressure not to go to court, the APC has been behaving like a cat on hot bricks because the outcome of the 2019 elections has exposed and shattered the facade of their dubious integrity. The APC are behaving nervously like a thief living under the fear of being exposed and shamed. They are now using fake news against Atiku instead of focusing on defending themselves in the court.

For a party that has broken the worst record in election rigging, the APC doesn’t have any iota of integrity to be taken seriously by anybody. Atiku’s court case has become their biggest burden because it exposes their integrity as a sham, and instead of defending their stolen mandate in court, they are now using fake news to divert public attention from the historic electoral heist they have committed against Nigerians.”

The statement adds that no amount of diversionary propaganda and fake news campaign by APC will stop Atiku Abubakar from continuing the court action he started to reclaim the stolen mandate.

Spanish striker, Diego Costa has been given an eight-game ban for his controversial rant at referee Jesus Gil Manzano during Atletico Madrid's 2-0 defeat by Barcelona last Saturday.

The 30-year-old was shown a straight red card in the 28th minutes after he repeatedly said to the referee "Me cago en tu puta madre," which literally translates to "I shit on your whore mother."

The referee's report also accuses Costa of holding the referee's arm so as to prevent him taking out more cards for his team-mates.

Gil's report read: 'Once sent-off, still on the pitch, he grabbed my arm to prevent me from showing yellow cards to his team-mates No 24 [Jose Gimenez] and No 2 [Diego Godin].'    

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) ban consists of four games for being found in breach of Article 94 of the league's code of conduct for using insulting or offensive words towards a match official, and four matches for breaching Article 96, which refers to the use of light violence towards referees.

Atletico were fined £2,400 while the former Chelsea striker was fined £5,200 over the incident. They have 10 days in which they can lodge an appeal.

Bayern Munich stars, Robert Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman reportedly came to blows during the club's training session on Thursday and had to be separated by their team-mates.

According to Bild, the pair got into a heated confrontation as Bayern prepare for Sunday's visit to Fortuna Dusseldorf and exchanged punches during the fracas. The Polish striker and French winger had to be separated by defenders Jerome Boateng and Niklas Sule.

Lewandowski was said to have made a comment to Coman that infuriated the French star, which saw them exchanged words and then blows, with punches aimed at one another's face.

Bild reported that despite the intervention of defenders Boateng and Sule trying to calm them, they still tried to get at each other at the Bayern's Sabener Strasse headquarters

It was also reported that Bayern coach Niko Kovac was initially going to send them both back to the changing rooms, but changed his mind and made them continue with the training session.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has resigned after months of protests calling for an end to his 30-year reign.

Sudan's army announced that they were to deliver an "important statement" on Thursday and asked the nation to "wait for it". Early this morning, it was revealed that Mr Al-Bashir resigned his position with immediate effect. Reports of Mr Al-Bashir’s resignation came shortly after the soldiers reportedly surrounded his palace in the capital Khartoum.

The 75-year-old has reportedly handed over to the country’s supreme military council controlled by the armed forces and consultations are underway to set up a transitional council

His ouster follows days of protests that have engulfed the country. News of his resignation has been met with celebrations. Protesters have taken to the streets, waiting for the official announcement to be made.

The army has taken control of certain government installations and several former and current officials, including a former vice president, have been arrested.

As for Omar al-Bashir, he has not been heard of or seen for 24 hours. He has reportedly fled to Saudi Arabia, but details of this development are also still sketchy. Top government and military officials have had a meeting without the president

Al Jazeera reveals that the army has been cooperative and protective of protests. Airports have been shut down and some broadcast stations were said to have been taken over by soldiers. Protesters have been asked to move to the main square for a further sit-in. Protesters are matching to the military headquarters, demanding that the military should only supervise the ouster of Mr Al-Bashir, but not take over power in its aftermath.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir resigns after a 30-year reign amidst protests

Mr Al-Bashir seized power in 1989 as a military general and has served the longest since the country gained independence in 1956. For months now, there have been calls for Mr Al-Bashir to leave power and more than 50 people have been killed since the agitation for took off in December.

Sarki Mohammed Yohanna, Vice President of Local Hunters of Northeast Nigeria allegedly captured alive 13 Boko Haram terrorists alive and killed two in one week around Sabon Garin area of Borno and Adamawa areas.

According to Borno State government official:

"Sarki Mohammed Yohanna is one of the toughest and independent Boko Haram Fighter who has reclaimed the Southern Part of Borno from the hands of Boko Haram and Has been Capturing and fighting Boko Haram without the Support of the Military or any Security Agencies.

Sarki Mohammed Yohanna and his team singularly reclaimed, Hawul, Askira, Biu, Part of Adamawa and Yobe State . He use Farming as source of sustaining the fight, he has never received even a Vehicle from government  , Military or any Organisation but only from good Samaritan who feels its a responsibilities to use their wealth to protect their communities .

I called on all authorities to meet and Support Sarki Yohanna in the fight against insurgency in Nigeria."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have released a statement regarding the birth of their baby.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made it clear that the birth of their child and the protocol that follows will not go in line with the royal tradition we are used to, as they intend to have some privacy and enjoy the baby privately with their families first before announcing it to the public.

It had earlier been revealed that Meghan doesn't intend to do the media appearance which Kate Middleton and mother-in-law Princess Diana did shortly after birth. This is all in line with their plan to keep the arrival of the baby private.

The statement from Kensington Palace released on Thursday reads:

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very grateful for the goodwill they have received from people throughout the United Kingdom and around the world as they prepare to welcome their baby.

Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private.

The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family.

Zenith Bank Plc has appointed Ebenezer Onyeagwu as its Group Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

According to a public disclosure issued to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Onyeagwu’s appointment will take effect from Saturday, June 1, 2019.

The newly-appointed MD/CEO will be succeeding Peter Amangbo, whose tenure expires on Friday, May 31, 2019.

Ebenezer Onyeagwu’s professional career

Onyeagwu is a vastly experienced banker and financial expert, trained in reputable institutions of learning in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

He is an alumnus of the prestigious University of Oxford, England, where he obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Strategy, and a certificate in Macroeconomics. He also undertook extensive executive level business education in Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School of Columbia University, the Harvard Business School of Harvard University (all in the United States) and Lagos Business School of the Pan African University, Nigeria.

Onyeagwu is a Chartered Accountant and was named a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), in 2003.

With nearly 30 years experience in the banking industry in Nigeria, Onyeagwu, who is a graduate of accounting from Auchi Polytechnic, began his career at the defunct Financial Merchant Bank in 1991 and later held several management positions in the erstwhile Citizens International Bank Limited until 2002.

He joined Zenith Bank Plc in 2002 as a Senior Manager, in the Internal Control and Audit Group of the bank.  His professionalism, competence, integrity and commitment to the set objectives of the bank saw him rise swiftly between 2003 and 2005, first, as Assistant General Manager, then Deputy General Manager, and eventually as General Manager of the bank.

In these capacities, he handled strategies for new business and branch development, management of risk assets portfolios, treasury functions, strategic top-level corporate, multinationals and public institutional relationships, among others.

He was named Executive Director of the bank in 2013 and put in charge of Lagos and South-South Zones as well as strategic groups/business units of the bank including Financial Control & Strategic Planning, Treasury and Correspondent Groups, Human Resources Group, Oil and Gas Group, and Credit Risk Management Group, etc. He was named Deputy Managing Director of the bank in 2016.

Onyeagwu is on the board of Zenith Bank Ghana, Zenith Pensions Custodian Limited, Zenith Nominees Limited and African Finance Corporation.  He brings to his job strategic thinking, inspirational leadership, energetic and entrepreneurial skills. He is married with children.

By Damilare Famuyiwa

Today, President Buhari met with six different groups of investors at the sidelines of the Annual Investment Meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He had a message for them all: Come to Nigeria and prosper. Come and have handsome returns on your investments, within the shortest possible time.

Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum is a member of the Dubai ruling family. He is also a private investor and member of several boards of companies, both state owned and private. He is interested in establishing a power plant in Lagos, and studies have already been completed.

Lulu Group operates a chain of supermarkets in the Middle East and Asia. Mr Yusuff Alli, Chairman of the group, told President Buhari that the outfit, with headquarters in Abu Dhabi, has over 164 supermarkets and shopping malls. It employs over 50,000 people. The interest is to work with Nigerian farmers, using local produce to ensure food security. Quality, affordability and hygiene are the watchwords of the company.

Also in bilateral meeting with President Buhari was Sheikh Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of Amea Power. The company develops, owns, and operates thermal and renewable energy projects in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Its wide range of power solutions include conventional – gas, coal, oil, and renewable – solar, wind and hydro.

Apart from power, the company, which owns Rotana Hotel chain, is also interested in the hospitality sector in Nigeria. Also on cue was Sheikh Ali Rashid Lootah, Chairman, Nakheel Properties and Limitless Group.

One of the world's leading developers and a major contributor to Dubai's real estate transformation, the company's current and future retail project portfolio covers nearly 17 million square feet of leasable space. They are keen to expand their investments in Nigeria.

Sheikh Khalid Bin Kalban is the CEO of Dubai Investments. His meeting with the Nigerian president centred around real estate, processing industries, mergers and acquisitions, health care, education, and financial investments.

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has supported over 66 projects in 29 African countries. They include rural solar power and water projects, and that was the focus of the discussion, as Sheikh Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, the CEO, met with President Buhari.

The bilateral sessions were not concluded, till the Nigerian president had met with Mr Jitender Sachdeva, CEO Skipperseil Group. An integrated energy company with operations in the manufacturing of substation equipment, discussions were on engineering processing, construction of transmission lines and substations for utilities, institutions and industries. The company’s CEO expressed delight at meeting with President Buhari, and looked forward to doing good business in Nigeria.

Dare devil armed robbers attacked the only commercial bank in Ido-Ani in Ose Local government area of Ondo state today April 8th. According to reports, the robbers were said to have gained entry into the bank through the aid of a dynamite.

Security agents including soldiers at Isua-Akoko checkpoint and policemen in the vicinity have been alerted and are said to be on their way to the town to stop the robbery attack.

Unconfirmed reports claim some people, including bankers and customers have been killed by the robbers.

President Buhari has called on world leaders to come up with proposals to create a digital world that is accessible, inclusive and safe to all.

In his keynote speech at the 2019 Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) in Dubai on Monday, President Buhari said a certain level of regulation was needed to preserve the integrity of the digital economy. The theme of the summit is: ‘Mapping the Future of Foreign Direct Investment: Enriching World Economies through Digital Globalization.’’

Acknowledging that digital globalisation is transforming the world almost every day with innovations and transformative ideas, the Nigerian leader cautioned that the cyber world would remain a constant threat if left unregulated.

The President decried the use of the cyberspace to manipulate elections, subvert the democratic rights of citizens as well as propagate violence. He also lamented the steady rise in fake news and cybercrimes, particularly when platforms are hijacked and manipulated by criminals.

President Buhari, therefore, called for collective efforts led by both public and private sector leaders to address the emerging threats of digital globalisation.

‘‘Today, we have a cyber-world that is intangible but real. This borderless world is powerful, and it impacts the lives of billions of people, no matter how remote their physical locations are. People work in it. People socialise in it. And people invest in it. This presents enormous opportunities. But it also remains a constant threat if left unregulated.

‘‘On the one hand, it has made the human race more productive and more efficient. Today, we have digital banking, virtual currencies and many social platforms that connect people and cultures.

‘‘On the other hand, we have seen platforms hijacked and manipulated as evidenced by the steady rise in fake news and cybercrimes. More recently, we are also witnessing the use of the cyberspace to manipulate elections, subvert the democratic rights of citizens as well as propagate violence.

‘‘In effect, the digital world has become the new frontier for both good and evil. Therefore, the challenge for world leaders must be to ensure that this space is inclusive, accessible and safe,’’ the President told the ninth edition of AIM, attended by world leaders in both the public and private sectors.

The President used the occasion to reflect on the digital revolution in Nigeria, buoyed by impressive statistics on mobile phone penetration, technology hubs and the advent of young entrepreneurs attracting investments of over 100 million dollars to the country.

His words: ‘‘In Nigeria, our mobile phone penetration exceeds eighty per cent. This means the majority of Nigeria’s one hundred and ninety million citizens are fully connected to this new digital world; especially our youth.

‘‘Sixty-five per cent or one hundred and seventeen million Nigerians are under the age of 25 years. These bright minds are the drivers of this emerging digital sector. Today, Nigeria has close to ninety technology hubs and every day, new ones are coming up and they are all developing solutions for Nigerian, and indeed global problems.

‘‘Already, these young entrepreneurs have attracted investments of over one hundred million dollars. A sizeable amount from overseas including Silicon Valley. As many of you from this region are aware, Nigerian start-ups always have a very impressive outing at the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX). Many have won prizes.’’

President Buhari told the investment summit that as leaders in the public and private sector it was their responsibility to create the enabling environment for young people to flourish and reach their full potential.

He shared the Nigerian experience:

‘‘When we came in 2015, we immediately agreed that any future economic growth must be inclusive. As the Nigerian youth population is fully digitalised, it is clear that the idea of having an inclusive economy cannot be achieved without digital inclusion.’’

The President announced that Nigeria was working on creating the largest digital database in Africa, with over thirty million Nigerians and legal residents already captured in the country’s digital identity system.

Also, the President highlighted that Nigeria’s public sector reform programmes, from procurement to payroll to revenue collections, focus on digitising key operations.

He said the recourse to technology and digitisation reinforces the administration’s objectives of improving efficiency, accountability and transparency in governance.

On cybersecurity, President Buhari said Nigeria has taken the lead in cyber policing in West Africa, working with regional and global partners.