Author: straightnewsng.com

By Akanimo Sampson The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has revealed that conflict and changes in environmental conditions largely due to the rampaging climate change have more than double the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in West and Central Africa. According to the UN agency, the displacement crisis in the two African regions was driven by climate and environmental change, fast-paced urbanisation, population growth and conflict in the past three years. In sub-Saharan Africa, a combination of conflict, floods, droughts and other natural hazards resulted in a doubling in the total number of new…

Top personalities in the political, corporate and ecumenical spectrums turned the funeral service of the father of Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel to a carnival of the sort. The service held at United Evangelical Church (UEC), Awa Iman, the country home of Governor Udom in Onna Local Government Area of the state on Saturday. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and wife, Patience; Senate President, Ahmed Lawan and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Senator Ike Ekweremadu, immediate past Deputy Senate President. Among governors included Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti; Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto; Dr. Victor Okezie…

By Akanimo Sampson Bayelsa State, the home state of former President Goodluck Jonathan, has erupted in an orgy of violence against the new Governor of the state, Douye Diri, and the out-gone governor, Seriake Dickson. Violent protests erupted on Thursday evening, shortly after the ruling of the apex court that aborted the governorship dream of David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This was as Senator Diri and Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo were sworn in as the governor and Deputy Governor on Friday. Though Jonathan has congratulated Diri as the new governor, protests against the judgment continued until Friday, thus forcing…

By Akanimo Sampson The worrisome locust scourge ravaging East Africa is currently posing a dilemma to the public-spirited global community. The world has two options to choose from. It is either the global community urgently supports the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) with the $76 million required to tackle the menace or brace up to cough out $1.14 billion in a humanitarian emergency. But, David Beasley, the Executive Director of World Food Programme (WFP), has already said that it will be vastly more cost-effective to support the FAO to tackle locusts in East Africa now than to help people in the…

By: Israel Umoh The parched harmattan wind blew crazily across the expansive legislative complex. And most equipment in its offices looked dusty. The Sergeant-At-Arm stepped forward. “Mr. Speaker a! a! a! a!” Silence! The Protocols and security agents stood attention. And he gaitly walked into the hallowed chambers of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Uyo. And the distinguished members and spectators rose to welcome the speaker. This was the scenario that played out during the plenary of the state House of Assembly on Thursday, February 13, 2020, on the floor of the house. And he settled down for the…

By Akanimo Sampson Seven years after entering into force, Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has said that the Green Chamber of Nigeria’s bicameral Legislature will now follow the “necessary steps’’ to domesticate the Kampala Convention on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), which will go a long way in addressing their plight in the country. The Convention which was formerly, the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of IDPs in Africa, is a treaty of the African Union that addresses internal displacement caused by armed conflict, natural disasters and large-scale development projects in Africa. The Convention was adopted in October 2009. As of 2016 it has been…

By Akanimo Sampson The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum is awash with jubilations as the party has finally retrieved Bayelsa State from the All Progressives Congress (APC) following Thursday’s ruling by the Supreme Court. The Forum has, accordingly, congratulated the new governor, Douye Diri and his running mate, Lawrence Ewhruojakpo, over the apex court judgment on the Bayelsa Governorship election. The Forum in a statement by its Director-General, C.I.D. Maduabum, in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, congratulated the new Bayelsa leaders, claiming that the victory reaffirmed the fact that “God is in charge of the affairs of men.” While the…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Senator Douye Diri, Bayelsa Governor-elect. Announcing this, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman while addressing the press in Abuja on Friday said his commission had obtained the ruling of the Supreme Court that disqualified David Lyon of All Progressives Congress, APC as the winner of the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa. Yakubu said by the virtue of the Supreme Court’s judgment that disqualified APC candidates from the election, the total number of votes cast now stands at 146,999 and the candidate of the PDP scored…

Four Nigerian billionaires are among the Forbes Africa’s Billionaires list for 2020, with Aliko Dangote topping the list for the ninth time in a row. On the 2020 list, Egypt and South Africa tied with five billionaires each, Morocco has two, while Zimbabwe and Tanzania have one billionaire each, among members of the 3-comma club in Africa. Africa’s 20 wealthiest people, according to the list, are richer in 2019 than 2018 with combined worth at $73.4 billion from $68.7 billion a year ago. Aged 62, Dangote, the Chairman of Dangote Group emerged Africa’s richest man for the ninth consecutive year,…

The Supreme Court has sacked the governor-elect of Bayelsa State, David Lyon, and his Deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo. A five-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Mary Peter-Odili ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to the All Progressives Congress’ candidate as the winners of the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the state. The Apex Court ordered INEC to issue a fresh certificate of return to the candidate of the party with the next highest votes and with the required constitutional spread of votes in the results of the election, which are…