Author: straightnewsng.com

The Senate, Wednesday, resumed from its Christmas and New Year recess, with its president, Senator Bukola Saraki, declaring that next month’s general election is not a do-or-die affair. Addressing his colleagues at plenary, Saraki said: ”To those of us who are contesting, let us remember that our biggest offer is to serve. ”Ultimately, the Nigerian people have a right to choose who will represent them at all levels. It is not a do or die affair. I encourage all to participate in the coming polls and I wish Nigerians a safe 2019 election.” Speaking further, he said: ”Distinguished colleagues, it…

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has again vowed to privatise Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, if elected, describing it as a mafia organisation. Before now, Atiku had vowed to privatise NNPC seen as a conduit pipe of corruption in the country. Atiku, who stated this during an interactive session with the business community in Lagos Wednesday, said he would take the step, even if doing so would cost him his life. He explained that he sold the idea to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo to whom he served as vice president between 1999 and…

Theresa May is facing a vote of confidence in her government, after her Brexit deal was shot down by MPs in the heaviest parliamentary defeat of the democratic era. On a day of extraordinary drama at Westminster, the House of Commons delivered a devastating verdict on the prime minister’s deal, voting against it by 432 to 202. The scale of defeat, by a majority of 230, was greater than any seen in the past century, with ardent Brexiters such as Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson walking through a packed division lobby cheek-by-jowl alongside passionate remainers. As noisy protesters from both…

As some people continue to eulogise Governor Udom Emmanuel for announcing to pay new minimum wage of N30,000 to Akwa Ibom workers, workers in the state public employ who were affected by the last promotion exercise in the state are crying for non-payment of their arrears. Though some workers are happy over the governor’s pledge to pay the new minimum wage to them, others are begging the governor to pay their three years’ promotion arrears before he thinks of implementing the new minimum wage which is still in the pipeline. Governor Emmanuel who had on Monday during consultation to the…

To be a world-class footballer is extremely profitable. He earns millions of dollars weekly for games, and purchases the most expensive pleasures of life. Straightnews rolls out10 world footballers owning private jets and the cost thereof. Footballers Who own private jets All the most talented and famous footballers earn huge money. This comes from their contracts with the football clubs, as well as profitable endorsement deals with the various companies. Therefore, many lavish their money on luxurious houses, expensive cars, and even private jets where they can quickly and comfortable travel to their destinations. 10. Alexis Sanchez (jet plane: Gulfstream…

Lionel Messi, the Barcelona’s maestro, notched his 400th Spanish league goal in Sunday’s game against Eibar to extend his record as La Liga’s all-time top scorer. Those 400 goals have come in 435 matches — an astonishing goal-to-game ratio. Cristiano Ronaldo, who now plays for Juventus in Italy, is La Liga’s second best scorer with 311 goals in 292 games while Spain’s Telmo Zarra is third with 251 goals in 278 matches. Barcelona’s posted a tweet on the club’s Twitter account with emojis of a crown and a goat, describing the Argentine as “His goat-ness.” Messi’s landmark moment came when…

The leadership of the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, said it align itself with the report of Amnesty International, AI, on the unrestrained mass killings in the Middle Belt, raising an alarm over fresh killings in the area. The National President of MBF, Dr. Pogu Bitrus particularly thanked Amnesty International for condemning the Nigerian military for its inactivity that has promoted these massacres. Dr. Bitrus, who alleged cover-up of renewed killings in the Middle Belt, said: “The attention of the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has again been drawn to the new wave of killings in Nigeria, especially in the Middle Belt…

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, weekend dismissed insinuations that the Mambilla Power project has been stalled due to an attempt to divert funds. The $5.8 billion project, a 3,050-megawatt hydropower facility, was conceived in 1982 by the government of the late President Shehu Shagari. In a statement signed by his spokesman, Hakeem Bello, on Sunday, the minister said the federal government never awarded a contract for the Mambilla power project to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited, SPTCL. The minister was reacting to claims made by Leno Adesanya, the Chief Executive Officer of SPTCL, saying his…

It has been reported that there was an outbreak of Lassa fever in 23 of the 36 states of the federation hit an all-time high in 2018. Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC), who stated this while briefing journalists in Abuja Monday, lamented that 50 years after the detection of the first Lassa fever case in Nigeria, the disease was still endemic in several parts of the country. He, however, said last year’s high numbers of Lassa fever incidences brought the disease to the forefront of public discourse and encouraged discussions around lessons…

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, Monday expressed fears over Nigeria’s mounting debt burdens, following the release of the third quarter report of the Debt Management Office, DMO, and the 2019 budget assumptions. Speaking in Lagos, Mr. Timothy Olawale, the Director-General of NECA, said: “Figures released by the DMO showed that the Federal Government’s domestic debt profile rose to N15.814 trillion in September, 2018 from N15.629 trillion in June, 2018 (1.19% increase). ”This figure becomes more worrisome when we look at the total public debt stock, comprising the external and domestic debt of the FGN, the 36 states and the…