Author: straightnewsng.com

Holders Argentina and leading contenders Spain were handed kind draws for the 2026 World Cup in a star-studded ceremony on Friday, which saw US President Donald Trump receive FIFA’s new peace prize. The event in Washington started the final countdown to the tournament, six months out from the first-ever 48-team World Cup, with much-fancied France among those receiving a harder task. Lionel Messi’s Argentina will begin their defense of the trophy they won in Qatar in 2022 against Algeria, and will also face Austria and debutants Jordan in Group J. Heavily-fancied Spain, the European champions, will kick off their campaign…

The Supreme Court on Friday declared that the withholding funds due to local government councils by the Federal Government as unconstitutional. The Court described the action as a “grave breach” of the 1999 Constitution and of its earlier judgment granting full financial autonomy to local government councils. This was as the court delivered a split judgment in the case filed by the Attorney-General of Osun State against the Attorney-General of the Federation over the alleged unlawful withholding of local government funds. Related News: Gov Adeleke freezes Osun State accounts LG autonomy: FG plans sanctions against defaulting states Power to control…

Israel Umoh  The Executive Chairman of Akwa Ibom Internal Revenue Service, Sir Okon Okon has dismissed fears that Nigeria Tax Reforms would pose threat to the economy like the Year 2000 (Y2K) crisis. Since Federal Government will commence implementation of the new Tax Reforms from January 1, 2026, the Akwa Ibom State Government had to begin strategic engagement with professional bodies, investors, and business associations in the state. Speaking during AKIRS engagement with professional bodies and business associations on new Tax Reforms, Okon insisted that the reforms are designed to modernise revenue administration, widen the tax net, strengthen the economy and…

Agency’s Report Nigerian Senate has received 65 new Ambassadorial nominees including a former Rivers State Sole administrator Ibok-Ete Ibas and ex-Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Dambazau. The list forwarded by President Bola Tinubu to the Senate include non-career ambassadorial nominees such as the former Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East (2011-2015), Ita Enang, as ex-Imo State First Lady Chioma Ohakim, and Senator Folasade Grace Bent. The nominees were contained in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary in Abuja on Thursday, December 4, 2025. Tinubu, in the letter, appealed to the Senate to expedite consideration of the nominees, saying…

Akwa Ibom House of Assembly members abandoned their colleague over a motion seeking to prohibit the consumption and sale of dog meat in the state. The motion, sponsored by Uduak Ekpoufot, the member representing Etinan State Constituency, failed to secure a win during plenary on Tuesday after it received no seconder — a procedural requirement before a legislative debate. Ekpoufot, an Engineer had moved the motion expecting his colleagues to support him, but he was left standing  alone and prancing his eyes all over the house for a seconder, but was dazed and confused that nobody supported the motion that…

Israel Umoh Journalists in the country have been told to demand greater accountability from their leaders in politics, business, religion and education for the betterment of the society. ‘‘Journalists in Akwa Ibom State must demand more from our leaders in politics, business, religion and education. We should demand that our leaders mentor and raise successors,’’ Moffat Ekoriko said. Ekoriko, Publisher of NewsAfrica, London, who made the call at the 2025 Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, December 1, said ‘‘Given the demanding chores of life, very few citizens have the time, the energy,…

Israel Umoh Nigerian journalists have been charged to be beacons of public interest and to challenge leaders in their different callings to do more for the good of the society. ‘‘Journalism is not just your everyday profession. It is calling to serve society. No social change or revolution has taken place in any society without the involvement of journalists. Moffat Ekoriko, Publisher, NewsAfrica, London, who made the call, at the 2025 Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, December 1, further enjoined journalists to act as beacons for the common good of the society.…

Israel Umoh  Akwa Ibom Internal Revenue Service (AKIRS), has clarified the economic and social implications of Nigeria Tax Reforms to different sectors in the country. The Executive Chairman of AKIRS, Sir Okon Okon stated that the reforms will protect low-income earners and reduces inequality for individuals earning  ₦1 million/year,  lower PAYE for ₦1.7million/month incomes; cause higher earners to pay up to 25 per cent more and ensure fairness through progressive taxation. Making this known during an engagement with journalists in Uyo, the Executive Chairman of Akwa Inbom Internal Revenue Service (AKIRS), Sir Okon Okon who spoke on the title: On…

Israel Umoh The Akwa Ibom Internal Revenue Service has unveiled the key outcomes of Nigeria Tax Reforms recently introduced by the Federal Government.  Addressing journalists in Uyo last Friday, the Executive Chairman of Akwa Ibom Internal Revenue Service (AKIRS), Sir Okon Okon who spoke on the title: On the Nigeria Tax Reforms: Synopsis of the Implications said the reforms were necessitated by the desire to achieve meaningful results for the new tax regime. He explained that government needed to amend archaic and stale laws to give way for simplicity of revenue administration and compliance, multiplicity of taxes and levies for…

By Akpandem James Last week, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu submitted 32 ambassadorial nominees for Senate confirmation. Seventeen of them were designated as non-career, while 15 were designated for career status. He had previously submitted three names for urgent confirmation. According to information from the Presidency, the list is still not final. Obviously, however, no nominee from Akwa Ibom State has appeared so far. The remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state are already asking, “So what was the rush in joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by Governor Umo Eno all about?” They point to the…