Author: Chronicle Editor

The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abia state has nullified the election of Orji Uzor Kalu as the Senator representing Abia North. The tribunal on Monday also ordered for a rerun election for the Abia North Senatorial District. Kalu, until today, was a Senator under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was inaugurated alongside other federal lawmakers for the 9th National Assembly. READ: INEC seeks traditional rulers’ support for peaceful, credible poll in Bayelsa Senator Mao Arukwe Ohuabunwa, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who represented Abia North in the 8th…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, sought the partnership of Bayelsa traditional rulers in the efforts to conduct peaceful and credible governorship election in the state on Nov 16. Mr Monday Udoh, the Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in the state, who made the request at a meeting with the royal fathers in Yenagoa, stressed that INEC, was poised to conduct free and fair election. He said the one-day meeting, tagged: “Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR): Pre-Election Round-Table on Conflict Resolution’’ was to enlighten the royal fathers on the need to tackle disorder before, during and after election. The REC…

The Ijaw Elders Forum (IEF) and other collaborating bodies on Monday congratulated the leaderships of the PDP and the APC for the peaceful conduct of their primaries in Bayelsa. They said that they were happy with the parties because the primaries were held without any reported cases of violence and bloodshed on Sept.3, 2019 and Sept. 4, 2019 respectively in Yenagoa. The congratulatory message is contained in a press statement signed by Mr Efiye Bribena, the Secretary General of the IEF, and on behalf of other collaborating bodies. The statement added that it was a big plus for the two…

Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, South Africa’s Defence Minister said on Monday that the attacks against foreigners in South Africa were planned by criminals and that government can’t prevent it. Mapisa-Nqakula who said this in an interview with eNCA, a local channel described South Africa as an angry nation and insisted that the government can’t prevent the ongoing violence. “The reality is that we have an angry nation. What’s happening can never be prevented by any government,” she said. According to her the death of two people during a clash in Johannesburg CBD on Sunday Sept. 8, could have been avoided but that…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday said the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) gave credibility to the 2019 general elections. Mr Mutiu Agboke, the Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC) in Oyo State, made the disclosure on in Ibadan during a thank-you visit to the Ibadan Zonal Office of the anti-graft agency. The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) recalls that the EFCC played a vital role in monitoring illicit movement of cash and vote buying during the last general elections. Agboke said that the monitoring of vote buying and selling in the last general elections across the country…

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mr Shadrach Haruna as the new Secretary of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). This was contained in a statement by the NDLEA Head of public affairs, Mr Jonah Achema, in Abuja on Monday. He said that Haruna replaced Mrs Roli George whose tenure expired in June 2018. Achema said that the secretary is the head of Secretariat of the charged with the responsibility of administrative duties, keeping the books, setting agenda and implementing decisions. READ: Osinbajo presides over Economic management team meeting “The appointments take immediate effect,” he said. Achema…

The vice president, Yemi Osinbajo on Monday presided over the Economic Management Team meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Chronicle reports that the main agenda of the meeting is the 2020 budget & National Auto policy. Participants included the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Adeniyi Adebayo; and Economic Adviser to the President, Dr Adeyemi Dipeolu. READ: Google, Facebook reject Russia’s allegations of meddling in elections Osinbajo via verified Twitter handle, @ProfOsinbajo assured Nigerians that the President Muhammadu administration would work harder for their interest.

U.S. internet companies Google and Facebook on Monday rejected Moscow’s allegations that they had interfered in Russian elections by running political ads during the voting day. The search engine Google and the social network Facebook said in separate statements that it was the advertisers who were responsible in the matter, Russian news agency Interfax reported. “We support responsible political advertising and expect that it must comply with local legislative requirements,” Google said. Facebook expressed a similar sentiment, adding: “If we receive notice that an advertisement violates local legislation, we examine it and take appropriate measures.” Russia’s federal communications watchdog had…

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the immediate voluntary evacuation of all Nigerians who are willing to return home after receiving the report of the Special Envoy to South Africa. He also assured the South African government of safety of lives, property and business interests of South Africans in Nigeria. In a press statement by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, the President noted that dialogue will continue between both countries. “In the wake of the xenophobic attacks by South Africans against other Africans including Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari sent Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Director-General, National…

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Dangote Cement Plc, has restated his commitment to the economic empowerment of millions of Nigerians. Dangote said this on Monday in Lagos during the presentation of gifts to winners in the ongoing Dangote Bag of Goodies National Consumer Promo. The chairman, represented by Olakunle Alake, Group Managing Director, Dangote Industry Ltd., said that the promo would reward 21 million Nigerians with various gifts that would boost their source of livelihood. According to him, the promo is to reward its valued customers for their unflinching support that has made Dangote Cement the first choice in building construction.…