Author: straightnewsng.com

By Our reporters Angry protesters drawn from the faction loyal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio, have launched mass protest at the party secretariat, along Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital. The protesters who called for cancellation of the ward congress exercise, alleged that the National Care-taker Secretary, Senator James John Udoedehe, had “fraudulently manipulated the lists to include only his loyalists as candidates for the wards and chapter congresses”. Armed with placards of various inscriptions: “Udoedehe cannot decide for us in Akwa Ibom; “The list cannot stand”; “We reject this shambolic manipulation…

Nigerian athlete, Blessing Okagbare, was provisionally suspended after failing a drug test at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics on Friday, July 30. Okagbare, who is the reigning Nigerian record holder in both the 100m and 200m, finished first in her heat in 11.05 seconds to advance to semi final. She ran from lane 7, was pitched against British female sensation Asha Philip in heat 6 of the event’s Round 1 who ran 11.31 seconds to finish second. This is another major setback to Nigeria’s chase for medals during the Olympic as 10 were banned three days ago from participating in the…

A popular Nigerian veteran actress, Rachel Oniga, is dead. Though it was alleged that Rachel died from COVID-19, family has denied such media reports. In a statement released by her sister, Deaconess Toyin Odusote, the family said the actress died from a heart-related ailment that she battled within a short period of time. Her sister, Mrs .Odusote said people should allow the family to mourn her privately for now as burial arrangements would be announced later. Meanwhile, Veteran actress, Patience Ozokwo, has expressed sadness over the demise of her friend and colleague, Rachel Oniga who sadly passed away today July…

A yearly excellence award to celebrate outstanding investigative journalists in Akwa Ibom State has been instituted. Christened Ray Ekpu Award for Investigative Journalism, the award’s prize is N500,000, though ‘’the journalist must be operating from Akwa Ibom State.” Ekpu is a frontline Akwa-Ibom born veteran journalist, a one-time Chief Executive Officer/editor-in-chief of Newswatch magazine, CEO of May5 and international editor of the year generally regarded by professionals within and outside the shores of the country as the doyen of contemporary journalism in Nigeria. The immediate past Vice Chairman of ExxonMobil Subsidiary Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Udom Inoyo who instituted the…

Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega sprinted the last lap to beat world record holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda and win a shock Olympic gold medal in the men’s 10,000 metres on Friday. The 21-year-old Barega powered down the home straight to cross the line in 27 minutes 43.22 seconds, ahead of world champion Cheptegei in 27:43.63. Jacob Kiplimo, the youngest ever Ugandan Olympian when he ran the 5,000 heats in Rio as a 15-year old, posted a time of 27:43.88 to secure bronze in the first athletics medal event of the Games. Barega, the 2019 5,000m world championship silver medalist who set…

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says it will enforce a lockdown in the South-east every Monday until the leader of the proscribed group, Nnamdi Kanu is released. IPOB’s publicity secretary, Emma Powerful tagged the lockdown ‘ghost Monday’ and also stated that schools and marketplaces will be affected. The group which accused the Nigerian government of unlawfully abducting its leader in Kenya and illegally detaining him, said the sit-at-home order will start on Monday, August 9 and will be enforced from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. They also threatened that should anything happen to Nnamdi Kanu, security operatives should not bother coming back to the South-East.…

Cross River State governor, Prof Ben Ayade has been urged to order the immediate arrest and prosecution of his aide, General Iron, over an alleged assault on a former member of the state House of Assembly, Mark Obi. Speaking with journalists, the Senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, Professor Sandy Onor said the call follows brutal attack on Obi and vandalisation of his house by the suspect. Obi hails from Boki, one of the local government areas in Onor’s Senatorial district, but Onor attributed the assault on Obi to his refusal to join Ayade in the APC. Onor said…

A 27-year-old Akwa Ibom man has been sentenced to death by hanging for robbery. Sylvester Emmanuel Ime, who hails from Ekit Itam in Itu Local Government Area, was found guilty of robbing Dam Dave Company, located on Idoro Road, Uyo on December 18, 2016. Akwa Ibom State High Court, Uyo presided by Justice Okon Okon heard that the convict, in company of five others now at large, attacked security men at the premises of Dam Dave Company, carting away two Mack trucks, worth N7 million. Ime, in his confessional statement, told the court that he was contacted through telephone call…

The Senator representing Cross River North,  Mr Stephen Odey, has been sacked by a three-man Appeal Court Tribunal in Calabar. The tribunal headed by Hon. Justice Chioma I. Nwosu accepted the argument that member representing Obudu/Yala Federal Constituency Hon. Jerigbe Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was the lawful PDP candidate in the December 5, 2020 bye-election for the seat. The Court in consolidated suit No. CAL/C/NAEA/SEN/167/2021, ruled the lower tribunal erred when it ignored Judgments of superior courts that earlier resolved Jarigbe as the rightful candidate of the PDP. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been asked to…

Officials of Team Nigeria are under pressure as allegations fly for withholding Samsung phone gifts given to athletes at the ongoing 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Samsung, who is one of the sponsors of the Olympics, reportedly gave mobile phones, Samsung S20+ 5G Olympics Games Athlete Edition, which costs over $1,000, to each athlete competing at the Olympics. The procedure for collecting the phone, according to Punch, was that each athlete visits the Samsung office in Tokyo, scan with the Olympics accreditation tag, and pick up the phone. But it was claimed that Team Nigeria officials collected the phone in…