Author: straightnewsng.com

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, Thursday, dismissed an appeal by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, challenging the nullification of the state’s 2024 budget. Fubara had presented a N800 billion budget entitled: Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity to the lawmakers led by the Edison Ehie, who passed it into law in December 2023. But, a faction loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, rejected the action of pro-Fubara lawmakers, describing it as illegal. They filed a suit before a Federal High Court in Abuja, demanding that the act be declared null and void. Related news…

Militant group, Hezbollah said Tuesday, October 8, that it is now ready to engage in cease-fire talks with Israel, after suffering serious blows to its leadership and ranks in the last three weeks. This was after Hezbollah had intensified its rocket fire on northern Israel in recent days, including firing over 100 rockets at Haifa on Tuesday. Hezbollah’s deputy secretary general, Naim Qassem, publicly endorsed a truce with Israel, the first such time the terror group has proposed a cease-fire not conditioned on the war in Gaza. “We support the political efforts led by [Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih] Berri under…

Nigerian Senate has enjoined the states and local governments to fully comply with the Supreme Court’s judgment by ensuring that local governments have complete control of their funds. On Wednesday, the Upper chamber cautioned the 36 states and the 774 local governments against circumventing the recent Supreme Court judgment, which granted full autonomy to local government councils in the country. The session, which was presided over by the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, said the National Assembly would amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution, especially 162, to provide full autonomy for local government administration in Nigeria. Related…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has again raised the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol to N1,030 per litre at its retail outlets in Abuja, sparking fears of worse hyperinflation in the country. The increment is coming barely one month after the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) increased the fuel price from N568 to N850 per litre in one year. The action might have been goaded by a call by the President of Dangote Group and Africa’s wealthiest man, Aliko Dangote, urging total elimination of fuel subsidies in Nigeria. Major oil marketers will also begin…

By Straightnews The National Pension Commission, PenCom, says it is pushing for increments to benefit the Nigerian public service retirees as provided for in the country’s Constitution. Acting Director-General of PenCom, Ms Omolola Oloworararan, who stated this in Lagos, said  “We are working to ensure that pensioners under the CPS and other pension arrangements benefit from pension increments provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).” The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) guarantees pensioners’ rights to periodic reviews of their pensions. Unfortunately, the Federal Government and the Minister of the…

By Akakan Umoh The outcome of the just-concluded local government elections in Akwa Ibom was a sour taste in the mouths of both elected and appointed persons from the state under All Progressives Congress (APC) canopy, Straightnews has found out. To most of them domiciling in Abuja, the elections were litmus test in gauging their popularity at the grassroot of the state. In struggling to find their feet on the political canvas, the politicians were flattened as their experience portrayed a woeful outing as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in their well-crafted ‘‘Carry Go’’ machinery swept the 30 Chairmanship seats leaving…

By Aniefiok Christopher The serene Ikot Udom Village, Ika Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom is boiling over alleged imposition of Mr Brendan Obodo as the certified Village Head on the community. Consequently, the villagers have vowed to resist the imposition seen as an insult on their collective sensibilities. Straightnews gathered that the family heads had selected Chief Boniface Akpan, not Obodo for recognition as their Village Head. Scores of the community members last Wednesday stormed Ikot Udom Road with placards, registering their protest against issuance of a certificate of recognition to Mr Obodo, whom they claim, was an unpopular…

By Straightnews The dust generated by the announcement of Chairmanship result in last Saturday’s local government elections in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom has been doused. Essien Udim is the home state of Senator Godswill Akpabio, Nigeria’s Senate President. The Akwa Ibom Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) had declared Ntiedo Effiong Usoro as the Chairman-elect in the area under All Progressives Congress (APC) Sunday morning. Related news Local Govt elections: PDP Hauls 30 LGAs, APC Picks One in Akwa Ibom  Akwa Ibom: APC wins Chairmanship seat in Akpabio’s LGA as PDP Leads  Local Govt elections: Three allegedly Die…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Bola Tinubu to withhold allocations to states that have failed to conduct credible local government elections. On October 5, elections were held at the grassroot levels in some states like Rivers, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Jigawa. Most states, however, are yet to conduct local government polls and still collect money from the federal allocations for their respective local council. Displeased by the development, the group described the action of some state governors as wrong. In a statement on Sunday, SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, specifically wants Tinubu to “direct Mr Olawale…

By Straightnews The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hauled 30 local government Chairmanship seats while All Progressives Congress jogged home with a paltry one in the Akwa Ibom local government elections held on October 5. Straightnews reports that the 31 chairmen-elect  and the Vice-Chairmen-elect of the 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State collected their certificates of return at AKISIEC Headquarters, Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo on Sunday, October 6. Speaking at the occasion, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, Executive Chairman of Akwa Ibom Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) congratulated the elected local government helmsmen for fighting a good fight to emerge victorious in…