Author: straightnewsng.com

Over 91 million Nigerians are now living in extreme poverty, according to the report of World Poverty Clock, a Vienna, Austria-based data lab. The report said at least three million Nigerians have slipped into extreme poverty between November 2018 and February 2019. According to the report, 91.16 million Nigerians were living below a dollar a day as of February 13, 2019. Recall that in June 2018, the Brookings Institution projected that Nigeria had overtaken India as the poverty capital of the world, with 86.9 million extremely poor people. This was further confirmed by the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, who…

The European Union Election Observation Mission, EU EOM, yesterday in Abuja said the peace accord signed by the presidential candidates ahead of tomorrow’s presidential election was a very strong message to Nigerians. The EU EOM, Chief Observer, Maria Arena, stated this while speaking with State House correspondents after she led the mission on a private meeting with the Vice President Yemi Osinabjo at the Presidential Villa. According to her, the participation of the two biggest candidates, President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who is the Presidential candidate of the opposition…

The governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, yesterday reacted to the ambush on his campaign convoy by suspected Boko Haram insurgents, extending his condolences to families of those killed in the attack. Shettima’s campaign convoy came under attack on Tuesday evening while traveling along Maiduguri – Gamboru road. At least, four civilians and a soldier died in the bloody attack after some suspected Boko Haram insurgents dressed as soldiers infiltrated the convoy and suddenly opened fire on them In a press statement issued by his spokesman, Isa Gusau, the governor said he would be visiting the bereaved families later yesterday…

…INEC dismisses allegation As Nigerians get set to cast their votes in Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to clean up the voter register to ensure that only eligible voters participate in the exercise. The party yesterday in Abuja said, despite assurances from the electoral umpire, a systematic rigging of the polls might play out due to what it called the manipulation of the true record in the voters’ register. Addressing a world press conference at the party’s Presidential Campaign headquarters yesterday, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche…

Two prominent US citizens have called the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the country to wish them well barely a day to February 16 presidential election. The former President of the United States, Bill Clinton, called the Nigerian President and APC candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, on phone to wish Nigeria and Nigerians well ahead of tomorrow’s general elections. Similarly, Michael Pompeo, the United States’ secretary of state, has put through a call to Atiku Abubakar, the PDP Presidential candidate, to affirm the international community’s commitment to free, fair and credible elections…

Nigeria inflation rate has dropped to 11.37 per cent in January, this year, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, said on Friday. This reading shows a 0.07 percent points lower than (11.44) percent, the rate recorded in December 2018. In a released Consumer Price Index which measures inflation, the NBS said that the percentage change in the average composite, CPI, for the reviewed 12 months period ending January 2019 showed 0.3 pecent point from 12.10 percent recorded in December 2018. The statement reads thus: “The consumer price index, (CPI) which measures inflation increased by 11.37 percent (year-on-year) in January 2019.…

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), trying Justice Walter Onnoghen, the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), has adjourned until March 11 for further hearing. Onnoghen who has been avoiding the tribunal was threatened with an arrest and eventually appeared for trial on Friday. The suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Friday, pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge the Federal Government levelled against him. Onnoghen, who mounted the dock at exactly 10:15 a.m., equally persuaded the Mr. Danladi Umar led tribunal, to vacate the arrest warrant that was issued against him on Wednesday. Onnoghen is…

HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI’S BROADCAST TO THE NATION, FEBRUARY 14, 2019 Fellow Citizens, On Saturday, February 16, 2019, you will, once again, be called upon to choose the leaders who will pilot the affairs of our great nation for the next four years. This is a constitutional right which should be freely exercised by all eligible voters. 2. I wish therefore to start by assuring all Nigerians that this Government will do its very best to ensure that the 2019 elections take place in a secure and peaceful atmosphere. 3. It was indeed such free, fair and peaceful elections…

A Federal High Court judge sitting in Lagos has excused himself from handling the N1.4bn money laundering charge preferred against the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Paul  Usoro. At the resumption of proceedings on Thursday, Justice Chuka Obiozor said, ” For personal reasons, I hereby disqualify myself from handling the case, I hereby return this case file back to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment to another judge.” The NBA President was scheduled to be re-arraigned before Justice Obiozor on Thursday after the case was re-assigned to the judge in January. This followed…

The Federal government has restated its committment to the completion of the Calabar-Itu road which traverses Calabar, Odukpani, Itu, and Ikot Ebeng roads in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States. The Director, Federal Highway, South-South zone in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Godwin Eke, who made this assurance during an inspection tour of the site on Thursday, explained that the Akwa Ibom section of the road is 12.2 kilometers, while the Cross River axis from Odukpani to the gas plant is 9.7 kilometers. “I can tell you that we have done quite a lot of federal…