Author: straightnewsng.com

A suspected hoodlum on Sunday died from gunshot he sustained during a brawl with policemen in Ukana Ikot Ntuen, Essien Udim local government area of Akwa Ibom State. The hoodlum in company of another went to the residence of Emem Akpabio for entertainment after the latter had held Harvest Thanksgiving Service at Methodist Church Nigeria, Ukana Ikot Ntuen in the area. An anonymous source confided in Straightnews that “As security operatives attached to Emem were checking and ushering guests into the compound of Emem, one Monday from Ikpe Annang in Essien Udim bolted from the crowd to urinate in the…

A major row is brewing in Abuja, Nigeria’s nation capital, following the refusal of the Accountant-General of the Federation to comply with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to pay $350 million to consultants. The consultants worked for states to reclaim $2,689,279,365 as final payment arising from the refund of Paris Club loans by the Federal Government. The Obasanjo administration unilaterally deducted from them and paid out in order to get debt relief from the powerful European financial group. Apart from the Presidency directive to the Accountant-General of the Federation to cough out the sum to the consultants, the High Court had…

The negotiations between Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Monday, ended in deadlock again, with the lecturers walking out on the Federal Government’s representatives. The meeting which lasted for hours at the instance of Senator Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, held at the Conference Hall of the ministry. The meeting was convened to ensure the suspension of the ongoing strike embarked by the university teachers. ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, who was not happy with the outcome of the meeting, declined comments on the reason for staging a walk-out from the meeting. With the…

The Senator Godswill Akpabio Campaign Organisation says the current actions of Akwa Ibom State government and Peoples Democratic Party in the state are signs of frustration arising from the impending rejection at the polls next year and the reality of their return to their second addresses through their touted ”chartered flight.” Some newspapers and social media in the country were awash with reports that the first official visit of the wife of the President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari to Akwa Ibom State was Friday, December 14 marred by a security breach allegedly caused by Senator Godswill Akpabio’s wife, Unoma. Yet, the…

The Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Mr. Modibbo Kawu, has justified the NBC’s payment of N2.5 billion to a Nigerian communications firm-Pinnacle, saying that the amount was commensurate with the quality and quantity of work so far done by the company and in accordance with the prevailing exchange rate. Kawu, spoke in response to claim by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, that the payment was undeserving and questionable, leading to the quizzing of the NBC boss by the anti-graft agency. Conducting a team of Vanguard journalists round the projects being undertaken by Pinnacle in Abuja to warrant…

Ten more opposition political parties, Monday, joined about 45 others operating under the aegis of Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, to work together towards removing President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress, ACP, led government in next year’s general election. This came as CUPP announced that six more political parties had tendered applications to join the grand alliance. The action of the 10 new parties came barely one week after the 45 political parties signed the pact to work together. The 10 new entrants in the opposition grand alliance aare Save Nigeria Congress, SNC; United Patriots,UP; Reformed and…

The Senate has proposed 12 nominees for the National Assembly Service Commission, NASC, with Senator Joy Emordi as its chairman. The nominations were announced in a statement by Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, special adviser on media to the Senate President, Monday. The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, according to the statement, has approved the appointment of 11 other members of the commission to include Nuhu Musa (Jigawa), Bilyaminu Shinkafi (Kebbi), Femi Agge (Edo), Uthman Taofeek (Lagos), Prince Adenekan Olateru-Olagbegi (Ondo) and Amb. Abdulazeez Usman (Kwara). Other nominees are Awalu Aliyu Ohindese (Kogi), Henry Odey Adagba (Ebonyi), Dr. Rufus Omeire (Imo), Bilyamini…

An Italian judge, Monday, found oil groups- Eni, ENI.MI and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L)- were fully aware that their 2011 purchase of a Nigerian oilfield would result in corrupt payments to Nigerian politicians and officials. Eni is said to analyze Italian judge’s comments in Nigeria case. Italy’s Eni and Shell bought the OPL 245 offshore field for about $1.3 billion in a deal that spawned one of the industry’s largest corruption scandals. It is alleged that about $1.1 billion of the total was siphoned to agents and middlemen. The Milan judge made the comment in handing down her reasons for…

The leadership of Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, weekend, sought President Muhammadu Buhari’s permission to meet and discuss directly with him the lingering issues threatening the stability of the health sector. The National President of MHWUN, Mr Josiah Biobelemoye, made the appeal in Abuja at the 40th anniversary lecture of the union, on the theme: ‘Industrial Relations in Nigeria Today: Challenges and Prospects.’ Biobelemoye, who alleged bias against the union by some powerful people in the Federal Ministry of Health, said: “My request today is that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces should grant us…

A member of House of Representatives in the country has called for adoption of a more manageable, realistic and pragmatic system that can proffer some solutions to the country’s problems. Kingsley Chinda representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency (PDP Rivers State) is the arrowhead of the 71 legislators, opting for the reversion from Presidential system to parliamentary governance in Nigeria. Recall that 71 lawmakers in the House of Representatives had jointly promoted the Bill which passed first reading last Thursday. He listed “The issues of decentralisation; fantastic corruption; weak institutions; lack of synergy between the arms of government; excessive powers at the…