Author: straightnewsng.com

Three years after the presidential elections, General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee, Tuesday, released a stunning report that former President Goodluck Jonathan who was candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, conceding defeat early to All Progressives Congress, APC, denied him an opportunity of arresting, prosecuting and possibly jailing some key members of the then opposition party. The report listed the people who would have been jailed to include Muhammadu Buhari, ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar for committing treason against the Nigerian state. The revelation which is coming over three years after the 2015 election that saw Buhari defeating the then sitting…

Despite the fact that Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is yet to lift a ban on political campaign, some major political office seekers in the country have subtly commenced their electioneering campaign in earnest, Straightnews has learnt. Investigations by Straightnews show that in Akwa Ibom State, stunning billboards of governorship contenders under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC adorn such major roads as Nwaniba, Oron, Abak and Uyo Village, Ikot Ekpene Roads as well as Bassey Wellington Bassey Way End, among others. Large-sized billboards showing Governor Udom Emmanuel either standing or sitting alone or…

The federal government has released N22.68 billion for the settlement of retirement benefits of former staff of liquidated Nigeria Airways. The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, who announced this in a meeting with the retirees in Abuja Monday, also announced another N20 billion for public universities in the country. President Muhammadu Buhari, according to her, gave the approval due to his concern over the plight of the former staff of the liquidated national carrier. She said: “Upon my resumption of Office as Minister of finance, some pending fiscal issues in the aviation and education sectors were immediately brought to my…

President Muhammadu Buhari has called for collaborative efforts among nations to fight human trafficking and smuggling of persons. Buhari made the call at the 16th INTERPOL Conference on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Monday in Abuja. The President, who was represented by Mr Olusegun Adekunle, Permanent Secretary, General Service Office, office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said: “Human trafficking requires our collective efforts to eradicate which destroying the future of our youths.” He said Nigeria was among the first set of countries to domesticate United Nations relevant protocols on trafficking in persons and smuggling of persons.…

Operators of a wonder bank in Calabar, Cross River State have bolted away with N27 billion belonging to more than 13,000 depositors. Micheno Multipurpose Cooperative Society, MMCS, is owned and operated by one Michael Eke, had promised depositors of N100,000 and an additional N50,000 at the end of 40 days, and those who deposit N150,000 would get the sum of N300,000 at the same period while a deposit of N1million would earn a N500,000 profit at the end of the same period while deposits above N1m are calculated in N1m units. The scheme berthed in Calabar in June…

The Federal Government, Monday, said it would commence the revocation of the licences of oil companies that failed to stop flaring of gas in their operations in the country from next year. Speaking at the 2018 Buyers’ Forum/Stakeholders’ Engagement organised by the Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria, GACN, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, also stated that the Federal Government would launch the infrastructure revamp programme in November. The programme, according to him, has the potential to attract between $20 billion and $30 billion of investments into the petroleum industry and also help address the infrastructural deficiencies…

“Does it mean that when a former leader is in another party, he ceases to attend the celebration of his state’s anniversary?’’ one of the media aides to Governor Udom Emmanuel tweeted in his handle. Recall that on September 23, Sunday worship service to commemorate the 31st creation anniversary of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria’s 21st state was held at Uyo Township Stadium. Ndueso Essien, Special Assistant to Governor Emmanuel on Media in his tweet on Sunday, September 23 at 11.45 a.m., made the apparent reference to the absence of Senator Godswill Akpabio, the immediate past governor of the state at…

A daughter of the late Dora Akunyili, the then Nigeria’s Information Minister, has sold one of her numerous artworks at N1.2 billion ($3.4 million). A report by Wall Street Journal says Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s highest selling artwork is a 2017 botanical named ‘Bush Babies.’ A New York-based art company dealer, Sotheby’s estimated that the ‘Bush Babies,’ would sell for up to $800,000 but ended up selling for $3.4 million, according to the report. The ‘Bush Babies’ artwork was sold during an auction at the Christie’s in London, United Kingdom. The artist, who once sold artworks for $3,000 apiece, has joined the…

Senator Godswill Akpabio has emerged an All Progressives Party, APC consensus candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Straightnews has confirmed. Inibehe Okori who wanted to pitch a fight against Akpabio for the seat has voluntarily withdrawn from the race. He told Straightnews on Monday in a telephone interview. Okori was an APC Senatorial challenger to Akpabio in the 2015 general election, though the then out-going governor clinched the position with landslide votes. Straightnews gathered that APC party leaders at the wee hours of Monday, September 24 had a crucial meeting in Obong Ntak, Etim Ekpo local government area,…

The screening of the 13 presidential aspirants under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) began Monday, September 24 at 10 a.m. at the National Headquarters of the party, Abuja. This is preparatory to the October 6 presidential primaries of billed for Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The screening committee is headed by Namadi Sambo, the former Vice President while Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom governor will serve as its Secretary. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives; Chief Tom Ikimi; Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo; Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, Hajiya Mariam Groma; Ambassador Kema Chikwe; Dr. Haliru Bello, and Chief Ebenezer Babatope…