Author: straightnewsng.com

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to “promptly seek authorisation from the ICC Chamber to commence an investigation into the situation in Nigeria in relation to the growing cases of pre-election violence.”  A statement on Sunday, SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare warned that if cases of pre-election violence were not addressed, it may escalate and lead to post-election violence in the country. The rights group wrote a petition dated February 11 and sent to the ICC Prosecutor, Mr Karim Khan. Also read N228b NASS budget: SERAP sues Lawan, Gbajabiamila Probe attacks on…

The support base of presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Dr Peter Obi is daily swelling with the love the young and old popularly known as Obidients are expressing to him. Young Yusuf Alabi from Oyo State created an unusual scene by standing and waving his hands in front of Obi’s convoy that brought him to Lagos for an electioneering campaign. Despite assaults on his ardent supporters by some political thugs, Alabi was undeterred in openly expressing love to Obi who was in Lagos in continuation of his presidential campaign to preach the gospel of his candidacy to his supporters in the…

The Supreme Court has swiftly doused upsurge of vitriolic attacks on its judges by some Nigerians over what they see as ‘a miscarriage of justice.’ The attacks were ably amplified after its judgement affirming the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Yobe North Senatorial district. “Our silence must not be mistaken for weakness or cowardice,” the court warned in a statement by its Director of Press and Information, Festus Akande, on Saturday. Also read:  Supreme Court Declares Sen Lawan Yobe North APC Candidate In the statement that doubled down on the propriety of…

Ahead of this month’s election, Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s Presidential candidate is favoured to grab the Nigeria’s topmost position, Bloomberg News predicts.  The pre-election poll conducted for Bloomberg News by Premise Data Corp said the former Anambra governor was the preferred candidate for the nation’s top job, beating the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In September 2022, an NOI poll also placed Obi as the leading candidate with 21 percent of the votes. Tinubu and Atiku tied in second place with 13 percent of votes each, while Kwankwaso came…

The Federal High Court, Abuja turned deaf ears to the proceedings on application filed by Pastor Umo Bassey Eno and Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State. The party had prayed the court presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu to set aside its January 20 judgement which declared Mr. Michael Enyong as the authentic governorship candidate of the party in the state. At its resumed hearing Friday, the court refused to grant any of the applications and ordered parties to proceed to the Court of Appeal on their application that had been entered. Also read Pastor Umo Eno’s lawyers Resume legal…

The Federal Government has directed closure of universities from February 22 to March 14 over concerns on the security of staff, students, and properties of the institutions. A letter by the National Universities Commission directed all heads of institutions to close down, adding that no academic activities will take place between February 22nd and March 14. The closure also includes all inter-university centres. The letter, titled “Ministerial Directive on the Closure of all Universities and Inter University Centres During the Upcoming 2023 General Elections,” was signed by the Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of administration, Chris Maiyaki. Related news Nine…

Nigerian Government has granted licences to 67 new broadcast licences for radio and television stations across the country, the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Mallam Balarabe Ilelah, announced Thursday. Ilelah called on broadcasters to continue to abide by the NBC Act, the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, the Electoral Act, and any extant law that guides media operations to ensure that the general election is free, fair and credible. These new licences are coming less than three months to the end of the current regime, which according to industry critics, are parting gifts from the President Muhammadu Buhari. Also read Indebtedness:…

Aniefiok Christopher The former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio said if voted, he would offer effective representation in the Senate and redress some past mistakes. Akpabio who represented Akwa Ibom North West in the Senate from 2015 to 2019 lamented a situation in which a few individuals empowered in his government cornered government patronages for themselves and their families, assuring that it would never happen again. The Senator in company of his wife and former First Lady of the state, Mrs Unoma, made the pledge at the palace of the Paramount Ruler of Ukanafun, Akuku (Engr.) Amos…

The African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Iboro Otu has pledged to revert to the hitherto known Ibaka Deep Seaport conceived more than 20 years ago by making its implementation, a priority, if elected. The project which is located in Mbo Local Government Area of the state and initialed by ex-Governor Victor Attah due to its 13.5 metres depth of the project was later renamed Ibom Deep Seaport to be owned by the Federal Government through Nigerian Ports Authority. In an interview with Straightnews team in his Ewet Housing Estate residence, Uyo, Mr. Otu, who…

Syrian toddler Raghad Ismail who survived under the rubble of collapsed building for 24 hours was rescued from the deadly earthquake on Tuesday.  Raghad was rushed to safety from the rubble of her home after it collapsed in a huge earthquake that has wreaked devastation in Syria and Turkey. But most of her family, including her mother and siblings, had died. Cradled in the arms of a rescue worker, she emerged unscathed from the ruins in the Syrian city of Azaz at daybreak on Monday. An uncle looking after her said her two siblings died along with her mother, who was pregnant.…