Author: straightnewsng.com

Chika Okpala, popularly known as Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo alias 4:30, an appellation he got from his role in a TV comedy series entitled New Masquerade is 72 years. Born in Nnobi town in Anambra State on June 10, 1950, Okpalla is a professional but veteran Nigerian comedian, actor, and musician. He was tutored by his father’s friend in Ahoada, Rivers State, where he served as a house help. The New Masquerade legend attended Prince Memorial High School at Onitsha in Anambra State, Southeastern Nigeria, from 1964 to 1972. Later, he obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree from Enugu State University of Science and Technology in 1996. A…

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the 18 Presidential candidates of political parties to divulge information of their holdings and liabilities. In an open letter to presidential candidates, the organisation charged them to publicly declare their assets and urged them to avoid vote-buying and electoral bribery both before and after the elections. The SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare on Saturday described the presidency as a public trust, noting that voters deserve to hear from presidential candidates about what they will do about issues of public interest, particularly with respect to integrity, selflessness,…

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has stated that Nigerians saw the best in their citizens in 1993.  Buhari speaking in this year’s Democracy Day recalled that on June 12, 1993, Nigerians saw the best in our citizens as they voted peacefully as well as the worst of leadership as the elections were annulled. In 1993, Ibrahim Babangida, the then Nigerian military President, annulled the election of the late MKO Abiola, presidential candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP), a Southerner and Babagana Kingibe, his Vice and a Northerner,  the presumed winners.   President Buhari stated that by this time next year, Nigeria…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom says the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has no governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections. This was contained in a report sent by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Mike Igini to the INEC headquarters in Abuja. “We wish to report that the APC governorship primary scheduled to hold on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at the Sheergrace Arena, Nsikak Eduok Avenue, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State did not hold at all,” Mr Igini reported in a letter dated May 27 to INEC headquarters in Abuja. According to the…

The Federal Government has declared Monday, June 13, 2022, a public holiday to mark this year’s Democracy Day. The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, urged all citizens to support the present regime in its efforts at ensuring a secured, united and prosperous nation. In a statement by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Shuaib Belgore, the minister reminded Nigerians of the challenges the nation had faced and overcome. He urged Nigerians to refrain from agitations that could disintegrate the country. The statement read in part, “As we mark another Democracy Day…

The United Kingdom says it would provide £1million worth of support and additional provision to enhance the operations of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in 2022 and three more years. The Director, Home Office International Operations, Nick Fowler stated this when he led a UK team on a courtesy visit to the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd). Nick Fowler on his part assured of the British government willingness to enhance NDLEA’s operations with provision of strategic equipment, logistics and training. Marwa thanked the British government for past support to NDLEA, stating that the expansion…

Hope of Peter Obi pursuing his Presidential ambition under Labour Party (LP) is brightened as Jude Ezenwafor, factional presidential leader, has stepped down for him in the 2023 general election. Mr Ezenwafor, who emerged as a factional presidential candidate of Labour Party on Wednesday, said he decided to abandon his campaign on personal grounds, offering an apology for causing discomfort. “I hereby withdraw from the forthcoming election in 2023,” Mr Ezenwafor said in a statement first published by Band News on Thursday. “After consulting my supporters nationwide, I decided to withdraw for personal reasons.” Read also: Peter Obi’s Presidential ambition…

The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, has warned not to accept candidates who did not emerge through democratic nomination processes. This as many of the 18 political parties in the country adopted direct primaries in the election of their candidates. The deadline for the conduct of political party primaries elapsed on Thursday, June 9. Yakubu, who stated this at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, in Abuja on Thursday, warned political parties not to submit names of such candidates. Read also: INEC fixes dates for 2023 General election campaign activities On the nomination process, Yakubu said,…

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State may be picked as the Vice Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general elections, Straightnews has gathered. At the just-concluded primary of the party held from June 6 to 7 at the Eagle Square, Abuja, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the former Lagos State governor, won as the APC Presidential candidate. Incidentally, Tinubu from Southern part of Nigeria is a Muslim and Lalong from the Northern part of the country is a Christian. At present, Lalong is the Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, which is a strong factor qualifying…

Akwa Ibom governorship aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), wants the Federal High Court in Uyo, to disqualify Umo Eno, the party’s governorship candidate, for allegedly presenting forged certificates. Mr. Akan Ekpe Okon who said Eno, a pastor was declared in error to participate in the governorship race prayed the court to declare him the winner. In a Suit no. FHC/UY/CS/110/2022 and dated June 7, 2022, the plaintiff joined PDP, Eno and Independent National Electoral Commission as defendants. He alleged that Eno presented to the PDP governorship screening committee which sat in Port Harcourt “forged West African School Certificates said…