Author: straightnewsng.com

The Federal Government says it has disbursed more than t $200 billion recovered Abacha loot in the first tranche. Consequently, the government has received commendation on its commitment to the Open Government Partnership which started three years ago. Straightnews learnt that in 2016, Nigeria was part of the London Anti-Corruption Summit, where it signed to the Open Government Partnership and committed to the Global Forum on Asset Recovery a year later. This civil society group with focus on anti-corruption is launching the outcome of its findings on the country’s level of compliance with the commitment made. ANEEJ said having traversed…

Paris Saint-Germain made light of an injury crisis to inflict Manchester United’s first defeat under caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford on Tuesday to take a huge step towards the Champions League quarter-finals. Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe struck in a seven-minute spell just before the hour mark as PSG displayed their credentials to finally become champions of Europe for the first time, especially once they get the world’s most expensive player Neymar, Edinson Cavani back from injury. After a run of 10 wins and one draw in 11 games since Solskjaer replaced the…

Following the cancelled visit of Bill Clinton, former United States President, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, spokesperson for the Buhari Campaign Organisation, said the cancellation was a welcome development, insisting that foreign observers should not interfere in Nigeria’s electoral process. Clinton cancelled his planned trip to Nigeria ahead of Saturday’s general elections, saying the visit could be “politicized.” The former US President was scheduled to visit the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, this week alongside the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland. The planned trip was facilitated by the Kofi Annan Foundation and the National Peace Committee, NPC, led by former…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Tuesday, docked Babachir Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, before an Abuja High Court at Maitama, following his alleged complicity in a N272 million contract fraud. Lawal, whose arraignment came about two years after he was accused of illegally diverting a contract the Presidential Initiative for North East, PINE, awarded for the removal of grasses in Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps, to his own company, pleaded not guilty to the 10-count criminal charge the EFCC preferred against him. The ex-SGF was docked alongside three other defendants, including Hamidu David…

All Progressives Congress, APC, Tuesday, refused to present governorship flag to Tonye Cole when the Muhammadu Buhari’s Presidential Campaign train berthed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in compliance with the two Supreme Court judgments. The apex court had ruled that APC in Rivers should not field governorship, National Assembly and House of Assembly candidates during the Saturday’s and March 2 general elections and on Tuesday quashed the stay of execution granted the party by the Federal High Court on the grounds that primaries were not conducted by the party. Both President Buhari and party chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, ignored the cheering…

The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, said Tuesday it has begun airlift of election materials for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, across the country. The Air Force in a statement by its spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said it started the movement of the materials on Monday. The statement read: “The Nigerian Air Monday, February 11, 2019, commenced the airlift of electoral materials for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, across the country for the conduct of the 2019 general elections. “The airlift exercise includes day and night missions, during which both sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials were conveyed in…

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has suspended its two-month-old strike, vowing to resume it if the Federal Government fails to implement agreements reached with the union in 2017. This was as Academic Staff Union of Universities suspended its strike on February 7, 2019 after a three-month old strike. Addressing journalists at the end of its emergency NEC meeting on Tuesday in Abuja, Usman Dutse, ASUP national president, directed members of the union to commence academic activities on Wednesday. The lecturers embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike on December 12, 2018. The strike was over the non-implementation of the…

Fourteen persons were confirmed to have died during a stampede at the crowded All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Rally at Adokiya Amasieamaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital. Kem Daniel-Elebiga, Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, UPTH, Public Relations Officer, said, “I can confirm 14 persons dead at I speak. Initially it was six, but the figures can change as they bring them and are being examined. “Some survivors are under medical attention. There are other under medical attention at the Emergency Unit, so we can’t force a clear figure beyond what the situation is at the moment.” Most of the…

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Tuesday urged the Federal Government to withdraw the non-assets declaration charge it entered against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. The legal body, in a statemen.nt, Mr.  Paul Usoro, SAN, asked the government to terminate further hearing of the matter at the tribunal and allow the National Judicial Council, NJC, to determine Justice Onnoghen’s fate. The plea came ahead of the scheduled resumption of proceedings on the six-count charge the federal government preferred against Onnoghen. The Danladi Umar-led three-member tribunal had on January 28,…

…As It Launches Election Translation App The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) Tuesday morning briefed accredited domestic and foreign observers on the preparation of the commission ahead of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly polls. Not fewer than 196 observers have been accredited for the elections. At the briefing, INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu reminded the observers that “You are observers and not monitors.” He also assured them of their security, saying that necessary security arrangement has been put in place in all the states they intend to deploy their people to within the country. The Inspector General of…