Author: straightnewsng.com

The legal battle between Federal Government and Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) appears to be gradually turning to a tit-for-tat affair. A United Kingdom Court had awarded $9.6 billion arbitral award against Nigeria over alleged breach of gas contract agreement between P&ID and the Federal Government. Consequently, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Thursday, secured the conviction of commercial director of P&ID, Mohammed Kuchazi and the company’s director of process, Adamu Usman for tax evasion, and other crimes. The judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo of Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, also sentenced the company, incorporated in British Virgin Island to wind…

Barely four months to his exit from office, Mr. Seriake Dickson, the governor of Bayelsa state, has been accused of alleged plans to sell majority of shares in the state-owned Atala Oil Marginal Field also known as Bayelsa state Oil Company Limited (BOCL) to some unidentified members of the public, investigation by Straightnews has shown. In a letter to the Board Chairman of BOCL, Barr. Orua Mark, Secretary/Legal Adviser to BOCL, alleged that the governor is collaborating with the BD to divest BOCL’s 41 percent shares of the 51 percent participating interest in Atala Marginal Oil Field together with its…

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Thursday, hailed the decision of Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal over the declaration of Udom Emmanuel as the constitutionally elected governor of Akwa Ibom State. Addressing a press conference, Obong Paul Ekpo, the state party’s Chairman declared “Today, the tribunal of men properly constituted by the laws of our land has confirmed the divinely orchestrated, politically engineered and electorally delivered mandate of Deacon Udom Emmanuel as the Governor of Akwa Ibom state. This judgment is in total agreement with the contemporary political reality existent in our state.’’ Ekpo quoted Daniel 4: 17 which states, “The decision…

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have dropped by one spot in the FIFA ranking for September, placing 34th on the ranking table. In the ranking table on the world football governing body’s website on Thursday, Nigeria garnered 1,482 points in the month under review as against 1,481 it had in August. However, in spite of the drop by a spot, Nigeria still occupy the third position on the continent behind Senegal and Tunisia who have 1,546 and 1,493 respectively. On the global scene, Belgium remain top of the FIFA World Ranking after an action-packed number of weeks in international football. In the…

More than 120 persons from United States of America, Asia, some African countries and other personalities who are in Uyo for this year’s Akwa Ibom ICONS Awards (AKIA) season 4 Awards conferment, may have to wait briefly. This is as the Governing Council of the Akwa Ibom ICONS Awards (AKIA) has postponed the ceremony earlier scheduled for Friday, September 20, 2019 at Watbridge Hotels and Suites, Uyo owing to circumstances beyond its control. A press release issued by Prince Ene Baba Owoh, Jr, AKIA Executive Secretary on Thursday and made available to Straightnews on Thursday in Uyo, said a new…

By Anietie Ukpe Suddenly, the plane did summersaults in the air. You could hear the screams – blood chilling and ear-splitting. Shrills! Cries of agony! I shouted “Jesus!” Then the plane plunged down to earth and burst into flames. I woke up in a cold sweat. For over two weeks, I had been having this horrifying nightmare. I prayed all I could but it kept coming. I assessed the situation. I was due to travel to Israel on pilgrimage and that was the only plane trip impending. The year was 2004. I had two options: one, forget about the trip…

The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Uyo Thursday confirmed Udom Emmanuel of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the duly elected Governor Of Akwa Ibom State. The tribunal, therefore, dismissed case filed by Mr Nsima Ekere, All Progressives Congress, APC, Akwa Ibom governorship candidate. Ekere had challenged the election of Emmanuel during the March 9 governorship election. The Petitioners approached the tribunal, after several amendments on two grounds, to wit; a) That the Election was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2015 (sic); or b) That the 1st Respondent, Mr Udom Emmanuel was not…

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, to proceed on an indefinite leave. A statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, said the leave is to allow the conclusion of the investigation being carried out by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Consequently, the President has also approved the appointment of Dr. Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan as the Acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federation with immediate effect. Meanwhile, there’s also been an approval…

So far, the Federal Government has evacuated 501 Nigerians following xenophobic attacks on them by South African locals. Last Wednesday, 187 Nigerians alighted from the Air Peace Boeing 777 aircraft that flew them into Lagos and were the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa. This as the second batch of 314 Nigerian returnees fleeing from xenophobic attacks in South Africa arrived in Nigeria on Wednesday, September 18. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fleeing returnees were aided by the Federal Government with the assistance of a Nigerian carrier, Air Peace. The B777 aircraft, with…

Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has urged the Federal Government to make history by signing or submitting instrument of ratification of the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, TPNW, on September 26, 2019, in New York. A high-level ceremony for signatures and for the treaty will be held during leaders’ week on September 26, 2019, at the United Nations General Assembly.  All governments across the globe have been invited to participate at the ceremony by the co-sponsoring governments of Austria, Brazil, Indonesia, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa and Thailand. President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, in a letter to the…