Author: straightnewsng.com

The National Minimum Wage Bill (2019), on Thursday, got accelerated legislations from both the Senate and House of Representatives as a means of aiding speedy passage into law. In Senate, the bill scaled both first and second reading in the Senate after which it was committed to a Special Ad-hoc Committee for further legislative work. Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary, noted that the Senate decided to give the National Minimum Wage Bill presented to it by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday an accelerated hearing due to its importance. Ekweremadu added that this is the first time…

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Thursday, declared former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke as the authentic presidential flag-bearer of the Social Democratic Party, SDP. The appellate court, in a unanimous judgement by a three-man panel of Justices, vacated a judgement of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, which had on December 14, 2018, voided the emergence of Duke as SDP’s candidate for the 2019 Presidential Election. The High Court had maintained that Duke’s emergence was in violation of a zoning arrangement the party adopted with a view to ensuring that a President and…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it is impossible for any candidate to withdraw from the presidential election at this stage. The said election is coming up on February 16, 2019. The spokesperson of INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, stated this in reaction to the statement earlier on Thursday by the candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Oby Ezekwesili, that she was withdrawing from the poll. Mrs Ezekwesili said she was withdrawing so as to help form a coalition against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at…

The resting of Lionel Messi by coach Valverde has turned to be his undoing as Sevilla thrashed Copa del Rey holders Barcelona 2-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final. Pablo Sarabia and Wissam Ben Yedder scored in the second half to earn Sevilla a deserved 2-0 victory over Barcelona. Messi came off the bench to help Barca beat Leganes in LaLiga at the weekend, but Ernesto Valverde left his captain out entirely at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan on Wednesday, handing a debut to shock signing Kevin-Prince Boateng in attack instead. Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho came on as substitutes but, if Barca are to…

Nigeria’s electricity supply sector has hit a metering gap of 5.4 million. The total customer base in the sector stands at 8.9 million, while the number of metered customers in the country is put at 3.6 million, Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency reported in its 2018 Metering Statistics. The agency noted in its document that any electrical installation planned, executed and put into use without NEMSA’s electrical inspectors test and confirmation of fitness should be viewed as unsafe and illegal. The report noted that from October 2017 to December 2018, NEMSA inspected and tested 2,690 new electrical installations and power…

Lightning did not strike twice in Melbourne. After conquering defending champion Roger Federer, 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas could not see off two greats within a week as he was comfortably beaten by a superb Rafael Nadal, who will now compete in his fifth Australian Open final. Tsitsipas beat Federer in four sets in the fourth round Sunday and promised to “do something good” against Nadal in a highly-anticipated semifinal, but the Spaniard was too powerful for the Greek, giving him little opportunity to become only the third man to beat both Federer and Nadal at a major. The semi-final was as…

Obong Victor Attah, former Akwa Ibom State governor, has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his rantings against the Federal Government capable of laying a foundation for electoral violence in the country. Obasanjo had in a 16-page letter likened President Muhammadu Buhari to the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, expressing reservations on the credibility of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the forthcoming elections slated for February 16 and March 2, 2019. Speaking with newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, Attah said as an elder statesman, Obasanjo is supposed to show impartiality rather than makes sentimental comments that can…

Men of God under Akwa Ibom Christian Assembly (ACA) got more than they bargained for as they lined up in their numbers to anoint a governorship candidate for the March 2 general elections. The men of God- Bishop Moswill Umoh and Pastor Umo Eno- appeared on Inspiration 105.9 FM, Uyo on Wednesday and declared the ACA’s stand for the re-election of Udom Emmanuel, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate. Ideally, members of the congregation are not expected to argue or disagree on any sermon with the preachers when they stand on the pulpit but to swallow it hook, line…

Oby Ezekwesili, the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), has withdrawn from the February 16 presidential election. In a statement released early on Thursday morning, Mrs Ezekwesili said she stepped down from the election to help build a coalition to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election. In her Twitter account, Ezekwesili said “It is time to build this coalition” – Obiageli Ezekwesili leads by example, steps down from presidential race – Obiageli ‘Oby’ Ezekwesili – Presidential Candidate, Federal Republic of Nigeria – Allied Congress Party of Nigeria…

Despite the rejection of N27,000 New Minimum Wage proposed for workers in the employ of the state government and private sector by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the Federal Government, Wednesday, transmitted executive bill to the National Assembly. The National Council of State after a meeting at the Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday had proposed N30,000 new minimum wage for federal workers and N27,000 for private sector and state workers. Shortly after the announcement, Peter Ozo-Ezon, the NLC General Secretary told the press that NCS has no jurisdiction to reverse the recommendation of the Tripartite Committee on the New…