Author: straightnewsng.com

Last year, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) was on the neck of Abubakar Malami, SAN, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice by pushing him to institute legal action to recover over N40 billion dubiously earned in double payment, by former Nigerian state governors, who are now either senators or ministers. SERAP made the appeal in an open letter to Malami, saying the former governors and their deputies are drawing the dubious payments based on retirement and pension laws crafted by them while in office. It alleged that Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki (Kwara); Senator Rabiu Musa…

The 36 states in Nigeria are said to be coughing up more than N40 billion to pay monthly pensions to former governors, deputy governors and in some states, widows of ex-governors, Straightnews has gathered. The African Centre for Leadership and Development (ACLD) has alleged that 21 Senators and four ministers are currently receiving salaries from their states as former governors, deputy governors, while they are serving as ministers and members of the National Assembly. The Tribune reports that the programme director, ACLD, Victoria Ose Udoh, made the disclosure on Thursday, May 17, at a one-day workshop on salaries and emoluments…

The Guinea-Bissau contingent will land in Calabar, Cross River State on Friday, May 18 ahead of Saturday’s second-leg, second round 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations qualifier against the Flying Eagles of Nigeria. This was confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on their official website on Thursday. The first leg between the Flying Eagles and Guinea-Bissau ended 2-2 despite the Nigerian side taking a 2-0 first-half lead. According to the NFF, the Guinea-Bissau contingent arrived in Lagos on Wednesday night and will depart for Calabar, venue for the reverse tie, on Friday. Also, the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF)…

France manager, Didier Deschamps has named his 23-man squad for the Russia 2018 World Cup with some big names placed on standby. The squad was announced on Thursday evening via the France Twitter handle. The regular names like Manchester United midfielder, Paul Pogba, Atletico Madrid forward, Antoine Griezmann, Real Madrid defender, Raphael Varane and Chelsea striker, Olivier Giroud make the squad. Barcelona centre-back, Samuel Umtiti, Manchester City left-back, Benjamin Mendy, who recently recovered from a long-term injury, and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris are also in the squad. However, Manchester United forward, Anthony Martial, Arsenal striker, Alexadre Lacazette and Paris…

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho says he has ended his war of words with Chelsea manager Antonio Conte ahead of Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup final. Both Mourinho and Conte have been involved in a long-running feud which started last season. Both managers clashed after Chelsea’s 4-0 win over United at Stamford Bridge, and Mourinho later said that the Italian’s celebrations were “humiliating”. This season Conte said Mourinho was suffering from senile dementia, and the Manchester United boss responding by pointing to Conte’s match-fixing suspension at his former club Siena, which he was later acquitted of. But when asked lately about…

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana and anti-corruption crusader, Mr. Eze Nwagwu, Thursday underrated the Special Investigation Presidential Panel for the Recovery of Federal Government Properties in the discharge of duties assigned to it by President Muhammadu Buhari administration. The duo, who spoke at the second forum of anti-corruption situation room discourse organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA, in partnership with the Yar’ Adua Foundation and the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, AFRICMIL, noted that the slow pace of recovery of properties from corrupt elements in the society was not only worrisome but surprising, considering the…

Final preparations are taking place on the eve of Saturday’s royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Ms Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, will meet the Queen for the first time at Windsor Castle later, accompanied by her daughter and future son-in-law. Ms Ragland has already been introduced to some of the Windsors – including Prince Charles and Prince William. It remains unclear who will walk Ms Markle down the aisle of St George’s Chapel, as her father will not attend. Ms Markle, 36, released a statement on Thursday confirming her father would not attend her wedding to Prince Harry,…

The fun of trading a mobile telephone owned by his family friend for hard drug has earned Frederick, the son of Zambia’s second republic president, an eight-month imprisonment with hard labour for committing theft. It was gathered that Lusaka Magistrate Court, Wednesday, slammed the 34-year-old the sentence for stealing Brenda Chisha’s phone, Lusaka Times reports. Frederick Jacob Chiluba Jr, a retired ZAF officer who graduated in 2014, was convicted of stealing a Samsung S7 edge, valued at K8,500 from Chisha, on September 2, 2017 and traded it for drug in Chibolya. In her testimony, Chisha told magistrate Chabala that she…

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has inaugurated State Congress Committees and Appeal Committees in the country to conduct congresses and entertain appeals this Saturday. A 5-member State Congress Committee is to conduct congress in the Federal Capital Territory FCT. Some state congress committee chairmen include Dr Pius Odubu (Adamawa); Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazzau (Taraba); Prince Austin Eweka (Kano); Sen. Domingo Obende (Niger); Sen. Jonathan Zwingina (Abia); Sen. Olugbenga Obadara (Delta); Sen. Uche Ekwunife (Lagos); Hon. Mathew Omegara (Ondo); Peter Obadan (Ogun); Abdullahi Gwarzo (Oyo), among others. Three-member committees were also inaugurated to entertain appeals that may arise from the state congresses.…

Two clergymen in Imo State have described Governor Rochas Okorocha’s government as “a serious case study of bad governance and maladministration in Nigeria of today.” The Anglican Bishops of Orlu and Okigwe South Dioceses, Rt. Rev. Geoffrey N. Chukwunenye and Rt. Rev. David O. C. Onuoha respectively, blew hot while delivering their presidential charges at their respective synods. The two clerics were in the same plane that the government has been a total nightmare for civil servants and pensioners, who are fast becoming inured to the anguish and pang occasioned by non-payment of salaries and allowances for months. “The added…