Author: straightnewsng.com

By Victoria Orok At least, one million animal and plant species across the globe are facing extinction owing to Nature’s dangerous decline with grave consequences on human race, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has alerted. A report from the concluded 7th session of the IPBES Plenary held in Paris shows that “The average abundance of native species in most major land-based habitats has fallen by at least 20 per cent, mostly since 1900. More than 40 per cent of amphibian species, almost 33 per cent of reef-forming corals and more than a third of all marine…

Senator Shehu Sani has accused governing Northern elite of misusing religion to enslave the poor and manipulate their conscience. Sani, in a statement on his Facebook wall, said “by this manipulation, the governing northern elite reinforced, expanded and consolidated their political ambitions and maintain their class and economic privileges.” According to him, “the elite had today systematically created an impoverished, divided, inhabitable, inhospitable and insecure region, threatening the peace and stability of the rest of the country and by extension the West African sub-region.” In his words: “The reactionary governing elites in the North misuse religion to enslave the poor…

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment, Mrs Maryam Uwais, has defended the federal government’s Social Investment Programmes, SIP. Her defence came against the backdrop of last weekend’s claims by wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari that the programme had failed in the north. Mrs Buhari Buhari had specifically said she was told that 30,000 women from Adamawa, her home state, would benefit from the programme but that nothing of such happened. “The SSA to the president on social investment is a lady from Kano and I’m sure that my husband decided to put somebody from Kano…

Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said Monday that the African Free Continental Trade Area, AfCTA, Agreement will not be hindered by Nigeria’s reluctance to sign up to the process. Obasanjo, who made the remark in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the opening session of the Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Continental Trade and Strengthening the Implementation of the AfCTA, also said Nigeria shouldn’t bring its internal problems to African Union, AU. The dialogue was organised by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA). The former President was reacting to concerns raised by one of the…

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has again lamented the growing impunity and lack of internal democracy within political parties, saying the Judiciary was confronted with about 809 pre-election cases stemming from disagreements regarding the conduct of party primaries. So far, INEC has withdrawn 64 Certificates of Return from winners in both Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this in Abuja Monday, while presenting Certificates of Return to the governor-elect of Zamfara State, Bello Mohammed Mutawalle, his deputy, three senators-elect, and seven House of Representatives members-elect, all under the platform of…

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Yemi kale, has said he receives threats from various parties when the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, releases unfavourable reports. Speaking on Public Conscience, a radio programme on Nigeria Info, Kale, who is also the Director-General of the NBS, said he received death threats after releasing the unemployment figures for the third quarter of 2018. “The job is extremely sensitive. My job description is to tell Nigerians what the situation on ground is and that situation might not sit well to the same people that appointed you or people extremely powerful that might have an influence…

President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday, charged the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, to keep his filled assets declaration forms safe as those facing corruption charges under his administration will come after him when he exits office in 2023. Buhari stated this when he, alongside the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, received fresh assets declaration forms from the CCB Chairman, Prof Mohammed Isa, who led a team, including Barr. Murtala Kankia, and Dr. Emmanuel Attah, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The President in his remarks said: “I am very pleased that you are here. I assure you I will quickly fill this form and…

The final day of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) saw the country’s best clubs qualifying for the season-ending Super Six play-off match. Former champions, Lobi Stars and Enyimba joined the already-qualified- Akwa United, Enugu Rangers, Kano Pillars and FC Ifeanyi Ubah in the Super Six play-off, which will decide the winner of the 2018/2019 season. Rangers won Group A, while Lobi Stars and Enyimba finished in the second and third positions respectively. Akwa United lead the qualified teams from Group B with Kano Pillars and FC Ifeanyi Ubah second and third respectively. Enyimba, who lost 1-2 to Katsina United…

At least, 30 people are feared dead after a boat sank on Lake Mai-Ndombe in western Democratic Republic of Congo, local reports say. The vessel is reported to have carried more than 400 people, of whom 170 have been saved while more than 200 are still missing. Last month, at least 167 people died in two boat accidents on Lake Kivu. The reason for this accident is unclear, but it is believed to have been overloaded with passengers. DR Congo, which is about the size of mainland Western Europe, has a poor road network and many areas are inaccessible unless…

A former Nigerian Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has sneered at Femi Adesina, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, over his outbursts on Christian leaders supporting Obasanjo against the president. Adesina had described Christian leaders, who support the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and oppose Buhari as “witches, false prophets and marabouts.” In his latest article entitled, “Ain’t no stopping us now,” Adesina wrote: “The sluice gates of free funds had been slammed shut, and they were unhappy. As dolorous as King Lear at his worst. “The letter writer mobilized the international community, feeding them with misinformation and…