Author: straightnewsng.com

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has directed the Nigerian Police to provide it with case files of electoral offenders in the last general elections in order to commence their immediate prosecution. The Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who made request at a meeting of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES, in Abuja Tuesday, said violence has become the major factor responsible for inconclusive elections in the country. Yakubu, however, warned politicians against violence, especially in Kogi and Bayelsa states where governorship elections would hold in November this year. He recalled how the commission and security…

Alex Morgan scored what proved to be the winning goal as holders the United States returned to the final of the women’s World Cup with a dramatic 2-1 win over England on Tuesday, but only after Lionesses captain Steph Houghton had a controversial late penalty saved. On her 30th birthday, the US captain headed home just after the half-hour mark to put her team back in front after Ellen White had cancelled out Tobin Heath’s early opener. But after an open first 45 minutes, the second half was dominated by more VAR controversy, with England having another White goal disallowed…

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has vowed to disappoint those who have the notion that the leadership of National Assembly controlled by the ruling party cannot work in harmony with the executive. Lawan, speaking Tuesday as senators reconvened from their two weeks break, challenged lawmakers to work in unison to achieve a lot for Nigerians. This was as Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the House of Representatives, said the leadership of the House needed wider consultation before announcing new principal officers but constituted a 10-man adhoc committee to review the rules of the House. Lawan, who promised not to…

By Akanimo Sampson Essential services in Nigeria like electricity supply, though still epileptic, food and fuel supply will soon become hard-to-come-by commodities in the country if the organised labour presses on with its threat to embark on a strangulating industrial action due to some concerns on the new national minimum wage. Labour says they are having issues with the current state of affairs as regards the matter of consequential adjustment arising from the new national minimum wage of N30,000 per month. Already, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) is allegedly being ravaged by avoidable deaths largely due to their…

By Akanimo Sampson The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken a seeming major step towards strengthening collaboration between immigration and border security operatives within the sub-region. The sub-regional bloc has agreed to set up a Migration Academy in Nigeria. The Comptroller- General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, who made this known said the academy will be set up in Tugga, Kebbi State, to train immigration officers in the region. Babandede who stated this during the Passing-out Parade of 396 cadets of the 44th Superintendent Basic Course in Kano, said the academy, when fully established, will…

She wasn’t even born by the time Venus Williams had won four grand slams, but 15-year-old American, Cori Gauff stunned the five-time Wimbledon champion on her debut in the tournament Monday. Gauff, nicknamed “Coco,” is the youngest player in the Open era to advance through qualifying to reach Wimbledon’s main draw, she wasn’t content to stop there and beat the 39-year-old Williams, one of her biggest idols, 6-4 6-4 in their first-round clash at the All England Club. “I don’t really know how to feel, this is the first time I’ve cried after a match, after winning,” Gauff told the…

By Akanimo Sampson With the deteriorating security situation in Rivers State- assassinations, kidnapping, rape, extortion, robbery and murder- being carried out virtually on a daily basis, Governor Nyesom Wike administration is fashioning out a new security architecture for the 52-year-old big oil and gas state. Politics in Rivers is a do-or-die affair because most of the politicians are vying for power over the oil resource of the state which has one of the highest oil revenue in the country. Political wrangling encourages the use of political thugs and the use of violence to gain power. The thugs are said to…

The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, Tuesday, announced a list of principal officers  for the ninth Senate. They are Orji Uzor Kalu, former Governor of Abia State along with the senator representing Abia Central, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Yahaya Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi) and Ajayi Borrofice (APC, Ondo). After reading separate letters sent by the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) respectively at the plenary, the Lawan announced Orji Uzor Kalu, as the new chief whip and Aliyu Abdullahi (APC, Niger), the deputy chief whip. Abdullahi, on the other hand, was named Senate leader while Ajayi Borrofice…

By Akanimo Sampson In spite of the broadening rejection of the Ruga Settlements, a programme of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for the nomadic Fulani herdsmen, the pro-Fulani administration has commenced a seeming fierce backstage lobby to rally the resisting circles behind the land-grabbing project for a suspected Islamisation agenda. The Buhari lobbyists are claiming that there is no government plan to seize state land, colonise territory or impose Ruga on any part of the federation. President Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, has been battling to convince the skeptical citizenry that his principal’s settlement…

By Akanimo Sampson The putrefying stench of corruption that has been oozing out of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration since the exit of the largely demonised Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015, is seriously calling the integrity of the retired Army-general and former military dictator to question. The Buhari military regime aborted the administration of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) under the watch of the late former President Shehu Shagari, on the ground of corruption and decayed social infrastructure. Since his military dictatorship was terminated in a palace coup by his then Chief of Army Staff, General Ibrahim…