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West Ham have announced the signing of midfielder Samir Nasri on the day he completes a doping ban. The 31-year-old had been out of work since 31st January, when he left Turkish club Antalyaspor. 24/7 news reports Nasri has now signed a deal until the end of the season with West Ham. "You choose a club and a project because of the ambition, and I think that West Ham has everything to be one of the biggest clubs in London, for sure. I mean, 60,000 people every game at home. We play in the Olympic Stadium," said Nasri. "Coming back to the most competitive league in the world, witha team full of ambition with a manager that I know. "It's the best job in the world, and I'm really excited about it." Coach Manuel Pellegrini told West Ham's official website: "I am happy to be working with him again. "He has been working very hard in recent weeks to build up his fitness and condition after a long period without playing, and he is ...

The Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano has said that after late president Shehu Shagari, Nigeria would have had a president of Igbo extraction in Dr Alex Ekwueme. Obiano, in a condolence message for the departed former president, said Shagari had planned to hand power over to Ekwueme but the plan was thwarted by a military coup that ousted him from office. Obiano, speaking through Don Adinuba, Commissioner for information & Public Enlightenment, said, “Ex President Shagari worked effectively with Dr Ekwueme to give Nigeria a participatory democracy that accommodated all sections of the vast country from 1979 to 1983. “Shagari’s belief in Ekwueme led to his re-nomination of the renowned architect, historian, town planner, sociologist and philosopher for the second tenure which they won before the military tragically truncated democratic rule. “But for the military coup, Shagari had placed Ekwueme on the saddle to succeed him as President which would have effectively ...

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari and anyone else accusing him of being corrupt to report him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The former Vice President said this while dismissing corruption allegations levelled against him. Atiku challenged those that have accused him of corruption to make their case known before the anti-graft agency. The former VP said this in an interview with the Voice of America’s correspondent, Aliyu Mustapha. Atiku said, “I have challenged everybody publicly or otherwise, that if you have any evidence of corruption against me while I was in public office or as a politician, feel free to go to EFCC or the court, but nobody has come.” Atiku further explained that stronger laws and processes are needed to try those accused of corruption.

Barcelona forward, Lionel Messi, has said he would love to have Neymar back at Camp Nou. In an interview with Marca, he also ruled out the possibility of leaving the Catalan side. Neymar, 26, left Barca to join Paris Saint-Germain in a world record €222million deal in 2017. Since leaving, he has regularly been linked with a return to the club, as well as a move to rivals Real Madrid. And, while Messi said he believes a reunion for the pair in Spain is unlikely, he would be delighted should it happen. “It would be difficult.We would love it if he came back for what he means as a player and in the dressing room. “We are friends, we enjoyed nice moments, as well some which were not so nice, but we spent a lot of time together. It is undoubtedly difficult to imagine him leaving Paris. PSG won’t let Neymar go,” Messi said.

Prince Tony Momoh, a national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC ) and former Minister of Information in this interview with TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI speaks on recent developments in the country and his views on the 2019 presidential elections. Excerpts: Were you surprised by the actions of some federal lawmakers who booed President Buhari recently during his budget presentation? You can take a pig out of the bush but you cannot take the bush out of the pig. We are in a democracy and even in most advanced countries where democracy is practiced; they have certain behaviours, the behaviour of a crowd. You cannot really discipline a crowd and even in parliament, they fight. So, we should forgive them in Nigeria for they don’t know what they are doing as regards the ethics of parliamentary behaviour. They are human beings, they are undisciplined society in a position to be disciplined and acted according to that, which is being undisciplined. Don’t forget that there is f...

A socio economic and political pressure group, the Niger Delta Development Initiative (NDDI) has expressed sadness over Nigeria’s worsening economic statistics in recent times. It blamed the policies of President Muhammadu Buhari for the downward trend in the economy. They also criticized the President for the failure of his anti-corruption campaign and for allowing his party, the APC to shelter some politicians they had previously described as very corrupt. In a statement Thursday in Uyo and endorsed by its President and Secretary, Mr Ernest Ukpe and Tom Buma, the group expressed sadness that corruption has increased in the country despite the high expectations of Nigerians following the President’s promises of fighting corruption to a standstill when he was sworn-in in 2015. “We are however surprised that the President is campaigning with corrupt politicians like the former Senate Minority Leader Chief Godswill Akpabio and the NDDC MD Obong Nsima Ekere who have been enmesh...

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday raised the alarm that some politicians in Oyo State were mounting pressure on the commission to sell unclaimed 914,529 permanent voter cards in its custody to them. The commission said it was not giving in to such pressure aimed at rigging the forthcoming polls because “INEC is determined to ensure that people’s votes count in the free, fair and credible elections in 2019.” Speaking on the theme, “Online journalism and Media integrity in Nigeria,” Agboke declared that some politicians, whose identities he did not disclose, approached the commission to buy PVCs to rig the elections. He stated, “As far as we are concerned, PVCs are not for sale.” The REC assured residents of the state of smooth elections devoid of crisis in 2019, stressing that no worker of the commission would sell PVCs to any politician ahead of the 2019 elections. Agboke said, “They are looking for PVCs to buy. They are looking for what is not avai...

The immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to take his campaign flag-off to Zamfara or Borno States. Fayose wondered why Buhari would abandon the crisis-ridden states and opt for Akwa Ibom, a state, according to him, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has made peaceful. The former Governor, in a tweet on Thursday afternoon, also accused the President of making just a phone call to Zamfara, a state which has been the hotbed of killings in recent times. Fayose said Buhari should have chosen Zamfara, Yobe or Borno for his campaign flag-off. He tweeted, “Nigerians are being killed in Zamfara, President Buhari could only make phone calls. “But he is going to Akwa Ibom, a state made peaceful by the PDP Govt of @MrUdomEmmanuel to flag off his campaign. Why can’t he do the flag off in Zamfara, Yobe or Borno?”

The upcoming 2019 elections has been threatened to be disrupted by a new militant group unless the Federal Government meets its demands on the development of the Niger Delta region. The militant group known as War Against Niger Delta Exploitation (WANDE) revealed this in a communique signed by its spokesman, ‘General’ Nomukeme, in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. The group threatened to begin hostilities should the federal government fail to prove its commitment to the development of the Niger Delta region. In a seven-point communique in which it indicated and lamented that the government has been denying the people of the region the right to enjoy their God given resources. Also, the militant group has resolved to support President Muhammadu Buhari if he could prove his administration’s commitment to Niger Delta development. The communique reads: WANDE will galvanise the support of all former and current agitators for you; President Muhammadu Buhari, if you can prove your admi...

“The eyes are the windows to the soul” as one well known saying goes. However, there’s just more to the eyes than, well, meets the eye. They allow us to see, first and foremost, as well as allow us to distinguish shapes and sizes at first glance (literally). They also help us recognize our friends and our loved ones. What your eyes do isn’t just limited to these though; so here are 25 crazy facts about your eyes. 25. Eye color can change. Neither blue nor green pigments are ever present in the human iris or ocular fluid. Eye color is therefore something like the sky, it depends on the lighting conditions, especially for lighter-colored eyes. 24. If your eyes are blue, you share a common ancestor with every other blue-eyed individual in the world. The very first person to ever have blue eyes lived around 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. Back then, everyone had brown eyes. 23. Each eye contains 107 million cells and all are light sensitive. Seven million “cones” helps you see color a...

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party has demanded a probe into the ownership of Etisalat Nigeria and Keystone Bank. Mr Abubakar, in a statement by a spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, said the call was necessary “in view of reports that members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s family now own substantial share in Etisalat Nigeria which has an estimated $2 billion (about N727 billion at 360 per dollar) of its estimated $20 billion global net worth.” Read Mr Shaibu’s full statement below. The Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has called on the appropriate authorities to urgently institute a probe to unravel the hidden faces behind the new ownership structure of multi-billion naira telecoms giant, Etisalat Nigeria, as well as Keystone Bank. In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the Special Assistant to Atiku on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said such a probe was necessary in view of reports that members of...

The Force Headquarters has ordered the arrest and prosecution of 190 riot policemen who absconded from the ongoing training at the Special Forces School , Buni - Yadi , Yobe State. The fleeing policemen were part of the 2, 000 Police Mobile Officers mobilised for the training preparatory to their deployment for combat against Boko Haram insurgents in the North - East . They were deployed by the Inspector - General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, about three weeks ago for purely military duties under the ‘ Operation Lafiya Dole.’ The Police authorities had argued that the deployment of the men was consistent with Section 4 of the Police Act and Regulations, which allows them to perform such military duties both within and outside Nigeria as may be required of them. The 190 missing cops were believed to have bailed out of the SFS because they did not want to participate in the counter -insurgency operations . Findings indicate that the policemen were drawn from MOPOLs 2 , Keffi; 3 ...

Alhaji Buba Galadima, a staunch supporter of President Buhari in 2015, has since debunked claims that the President has any integrity. In an interview with Channels Television, he stated that Buhari's relatives and friends who were bankrupt and could not afford 2000 Naira in 2015, are now billionaires. Galadima stated that Daura GRA presently has residences that look like houses in London and Dubai. And these houses were built after 2015. Recall that Buba Galadima was the National Secretary of CPC in the run up to 2011 election. Galadima has been at the side of Buhari, but had to tell the world his fears that Buhari is corrupt because he condones corruption and is surrounded by corrupt people. He insisted that this is not the General Buhari he knew.

Kylian Mbappe’s remarkable rise to the top of the global game has now seen the Paris Saint-Germain forward crowned French Player of the Year for the first time. After bursting onto the scene as a precociously-gifted teenager at Monaco, a big-money transfer had taken him to Parc des Princes. Another Ligue 1 title triumph was enjoyed in 2017-18, as PSG swept the board in terms of domestic honours. Mbappe then headed to Russia with his country and a shot at World Cup glory. He helped Les Bleus to go all the way, with a fine individual effort netted in a 4-2 final triumph over Croatia. His efforts were recognised with the Young Player Award, and his game has continued to go from strength to strength. Mbappe has hit 16 goals in 19 appearances for PSG this season, as they continue to chase down more trophies at home and abroad. Alongside those heroics, he has also become the inaugural winner of the Kopa Trophy – the prize bestowed upon the finest under-21 player on the plane...

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, to let God decide the next governor of the state. Obasanjo stated this on Wednesday at this year’s edition of Ibogun-Olaogun Day celebration in Ibogun, Ifo Local Government Area of the state, where Amosun was also in attendance. Obasanjo said his choice and that of Amosun did not align regarding who became the next governor of the state come May 2019. It was, however, observed that both Obasanjo and Amosun were in agreement that power should shift to Ogun West Senatorial District which is yet to produce a governor for the state since its creation over 42 years ago. It was further gathered that while the former President is rooting for the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Gboyega Isiaka from Imeko in Ogun West to emerge the next governor, Amosun is pushing for his preferred candidate, Abdulkabir Akinlade, of the Allied People’s Movement from Ipokia in same Ogun Wes...

The Nigerian government incurred N623.17 billion on petroleum products supply under-recovery cost between January and November this year, a summary of the monthly estimates of the expenditure by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has shown. The document obtained by 24/7 news was part of details of NNPC financial operations submitted to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) during its monthly funds’ allocation meeting in Abuja last week for November 2018. Details of the costs included under-recovery under the direct sale-direct purchase (DSDP) refining arrangement between January and November as well as the local refining cost between January and September this year. The document dated December 19, 2018, showed that cumulative outstanding under-recovery cost brought forward from 2017 stood at about N78.4 billion, with arrears of about N67.23 billion, while total reimbursement or FAAC deduction was about N676.49 billion for the period under review. ...

The NLC who declared that January 8th protest would be to express anger and dissatisfaction, had demanded that the wages of workers in the country be increased to N30, 000 but the state government insisted they can only afford N22,500. President of Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) , Ayuba Wabba who spoke to newsmen yesterday said; “The protest is to express anger and total dissatisfaction over the delay by the federal government in transmitting, enacting and implementing the new national minimum wage of N30,000. The NEC-in-Session approved that the protests should hold in all state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja on January 8, 2019. The NEC mandates all industrial unions and state councils to fully mobilise workers and coordinate with other labour unions for this mother-of-all protest.”

Prof Yemi Osibanjo has dropped the final card, the ethnic card is one which only desperate politicians use, I remember meeting with him in November last year where we deliberated on very important national issues but I noticed we were all Christians. It's quite unfortunate that the ruling party does not have projects and results to use to campaign but rather would resort to using ethnicity in our already dangerously divided nation. A man of Osibanjo's credentials should never been seen peddling such garbage, the nation today is in desperate need of a true visionary leader not some ethnic jingoistic individuals, presidency 2023 should never even be in the bargain for now, but it's obvious they don't care, it's to them about power and who sways it. I am disappointed in the person of Yemi Osibanjo, a supposed pastor who suddenly has become a tribalistic politician who sees nothing wrong with his decapitated administration that is being controlled by two indivi...

The General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, Saturday, maintained that the church will not be handed over to ‘rascals’ who are not portraying the image of Christ in their character. Kumuyi made the declaration via a satellite broadcast from headquarters of the church in Lagos, while teaching on the topic, ‘Fear Not: The Promise Is Still Good’ during the Faith Clinic session at the ongoing Deeper Life National December Retreat, holding at the Deeper Life Conference Centre (DLCC), which started on Friday, December 21 and ends December 25. He said the church will not condone any form of rascality and rebellion because the word of God never encourages that and is a strange behaviour capable of taking one to hell fire. He said: “We are not going to hand the church over to rascals, over to rebellious people that want to scatter everything that is good that the Lord is doing. If you have a neighbour or if you have a friend who is a rascal who just wa...

The majority of the country’s federal and state universities are still reeling from the effects of the Sunday, November 4, directive of the National Executive Council (NEC) of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to its members to embark on total and indefinite strike with immediate effect The marching order was the outcome of the deliberation of the NEC, which met at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo State. Six weeks after, the various campuses across the country are looking like ghost towns as students were forced to go home. Since then, the students have been anxiously waiting for when the government and ASUU would resolve the issues in contention. Checks on campuses across the country showed that the lecture halls and libraries are empty while the lecturers have also abandoned their offices in compliance with the NEC directive. The representatives of the Federal Government and the leadership of the union have met severally, including on Mond...

Experts have reacted to the government reports that N2.81t is unremitted to TSA. A report has since found its way to the full glare of the Public, holding that Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs), have blatantly refused to remit a large amount of money, to the tune of N2.81t, to the TSA account. The TSA is one of the hallmarks of the GEJ-led administration. This anti-corruption system ensures that all of the government’s money is remited to a single account controlled by various Nigerian banks. However, under the Buhari administration, the TSA has become less effective as GOEs have found a way to circumvent the resilient system. This shows a failure on the part of the managers of the system. The system can only work with the money remitted to it. The system is not built to force money out of the hands of GOEs. Mr. Ben Akabueze who is the head of the Budget Office, while addressing the heads of GOEs, stated that the government revenue was operating at a meager 36% as at September. ...

Even before the combatant National Assembly (NASS) debates and passes the budget next year, the nation’s proposed estimates of income and expenditure for next year is enmeshed in fresh fears of misalignment following a cut in Nigeria’s oil production quota by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) by 3.04 percent to 1.685 million barrels per day for the first half of 2019. The development is considered as part of efforts to reduce oversupply in the global crude oil market by the Organization. The production cut, which is to be implemented from 2019, has cast a shadow over the 2.3mbpd crude oil production assumption on which the 2019 budget is based. Nigeria expects 52.9 percent of its N8.83 trillion proposed budget to be funded by oil revenues. Also the retention of $60 benchmark price is considered as over ambitious and unrealistic considering further sliding of the oil price at the international market, which is currently below the budget price. Preside...

The worldwide leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, says he had a brief discussion with late Alex Badeh, a former chief of Defense Staff while in Kuje prison. He made this disclosure in a Radio Biafra London which was monitored on Saturday. Badeh, who served as the 18th Chief of Air Staff from October 4, 2012, to January 16, 2014, and as the 15th Chief of Defence Staff of the armed forces of Nigeria from January 16, 2014, to July 13, 2015, was shot dead on Tuesday evening. In a statement issued by the Airforce Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore, Ibikunle Daramola, the Airforce said Badeh died from gunshot wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked while returning from his farm along Abuja-Keffi Road. “It is with a heavy heart that I regretfully announce the unfortunate demise of former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, who died today, 18 Dec 18, from gunshot wounds sustained when his vehicle w...

Enugu Catholic Bishop, Most. Rev. Callistus Onaga, has said the Catholic Church would enforce strict compliance to the directives by Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) that Catholic priests should not get involved in endorsement of candidates ahead of the 2019 general elections. Bishop Onaga, who made the assertion while delivering his Christmas message at a press conference in Enugu, said, “The habit of some clergy men making predictions and showing partisanship in the way they preach at the altar has been stopped. “The clerics shouldn’t engage in political prophecies on who wins or loses.” The Bishop also urged Christians to extend love to all, even their enemies as well as the less privileged. He, however, expressed concern over what he described as grave socio-political and economic situation prevalent in the country, saying that the country was sitting on a brink of extinction. Bishop Onaga charged Nigerians to pray hard and to use the opportunity of Chri...

Okupe, who spoke on Arise Television, yesterday, advised Nigerians, particularly the unemployed, to salvage the situation by voting for a President who will be in charge and be fully aware of the happenings around him. “Is that what we want to vote for, a government that you don’t know who will run the administration? A country of 200 million people with so many youths? We are in dangerous and perilous times, and only God and PDP will save this country in 2019″, he said. The medical doctor-turned-politician said that the government led by the All Progressives Congress (APC) had brought indecency into Nigeria, and continuously peddled lies. He said the Buhari’s administration had not created 12 million jobs as claimed, adding that Akinwumi Adesina, the erstwhile Minister of Agriculture during the Jonathan government, evidently had over 10 million farmers on his mobile wallet data base. Okupe added that Buhari’s government may have added two million farmers to what Adesina had...

Ben Murray-Bruce, the Senator representing Bayelsa East district has cited a major problem with 2019 budget presented to National Assembly on Thursday by President Muhammadu Buhari. Bruce in a series of tweets on Saturday, said the amount proposed for servicing debts borrowed by the Buhari’s government in three years was a serious problem to the 2019 fiscal budget. The Bayelsa lawmaker wrote: “The main issue with the 2019 budget is that Nigeria has borrowed so much money these last 3 years that we now spend more on servicing our debts (that is paying interests, not paying off the debts) than we do on infrastructure. And twice paying salaries what we spend on projects.” Bruce further condemned Buhari for having more recurrent expenditure in 2019 budget despite his criticisms at ex-president Goodluck Jonathan of making high expenditures in 2015. According to him, “President Buhari criticised Goodluck Jonathan for having a high recurrent expenditure, but it is so funny that i...

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday assured that the Southwest that President Muhammadu Buhari will hand over government to a south-westerner, if the region supports him for next year’s elections. Osinbajo, who engaged in house-to-house campaign in Oyo Alaafin and held 45-minute closed-door meeting with the Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi said 2019 presidential election mattered to the Yoruba people of the Southwest because the region has a larger interest in 2023. The VP, who earlier in Ibadan inaugurated Shared Facilities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), financed by the Bank of Industry, declared that the project which is the maiden edition is Federal government project in collaboration with the Oyo state government. The Shared Facilities is for fashion, style and shea butter producers who could not afford the cost of buying the equipments selling at millions of naira in the market. The Director of Bank of Industry, Olukayode Pitan, lauded the proj...

Below is a photo of the burial rite of late Anambra state Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr. Sunday Ajayi who died in accident recently.May his soul rest in peaceful. Amen.

Ex-Aviation minister, Femi Fani Kayode has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari swore to deal with lawmakers that 'booed' him during the 2019 Budget presentation at the National Assembly last week. PoliticsNGR gathered that FFK, in a series of tweets on Saturday afternoon disclosed that the President allegedly swore in Aso-rock that he will 'show lawmakers who is in charge', blaming the Senate president, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Reps, Yakubu Dogara for the embarrassment. He wrote; "A reliable source at the Presidency told me that when Buhari/Jubril got back to the Villa after being booed at the National Assembly he sat down in silence for almost one hour after which he pointed to the sky with his right finger and, in deep rage, swore that "WHEN" he comes back in 2019 he will "teach the legislators the lesson of their lives" and "show them who is in charge". He blamed Saraki and Dogara for the whole epi...

Soldiers have begun intense lobbying to escape deployments into the North-East, following the escalating wave of Boko Haram attacks on military formations in the region, Saturday PUNCH investigations have revealed. Multiple military sources confirmed that as part of the fallout of the Boko Haram attacks on military formations in Metele, Kangarwa, Malumfatori and Arge areas of Borno State as well as the Buni Gari area of Yobe State in November, more soldiers were now lobbying to avoid postings to the volatile North-East region. Also, It was learnt that a significant number of the soldiers presently stationed in the North-East were lobbying for redeployment. A Brigadier-General who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, told Saturday PUNCH that a significant number of personnel were influencing their posting against the North-East while some were deserting the military. He said, “In the military doctrine, we have what is called cow...

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said that his mind is fixed on becoming the first elected civilian president of Igbo extraction in 2023. The governor made the remark when he hosted members of the Orlu Zone Congress of Journalists (OZCOJ) in his office. He said that all the campaigns of calumny against him was because his detractors have realised that he is the most eligible and most detribalised Igbo man. The governor described himself as the rallying point for all Ndigbo and the only one who can bridge unity, understanding and togetherness in order to realize Igbo presidency in 2023. Speaking earlier, the Coordinator of OZCOJ, Ambassador Ikenna Onuoha, said that Orlu people were happy that one of their sons represented them very well as governor of Imo, and by being a worthy ambassador of the zone.

A native doctor who has been using army uniform to rob, has been arrested by officers attached to the FCT Police command alongside his accomplice, Christopher Illia. The native doctor who uses army uniform to rob was identified as Abdullahi Mudi and it was learnt that one of the strategies of the two man gang, was to dress in army uniform, pose as passengers by hailing a cab and strike with toy guns after they had entered the cab. It was reported that the suspects who recently stole three cars in the Federal Capital Territory and sold them in Kogi State, ran out of luck after Illia accosted a man along the road in the Garki area of Abuja and dispossessed him of N450,000 and two phones. The victim of the last attack had reportedly parked by the roadside to urinate when Illia attacked him. Illia who was tracked down through one of the phones he allegedly collected from the man, could not drive and was said to have fled with the man’s car key and taken it to Mubi’s house, where i...