Author: Chronicle Editor

A pro-democracy and non-governmental organization Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has described as wasteful and unwise the series of lunch meetings between governors and the ailing President, Muhammadu Buhari in London, United kingdom. In a related development, the Rights group lambasted the senate for wasting the historic opportunity of introducing reform minded provisions into the constitution, such as devolution of powers to the Federating units, restructuring and resource control by voting against these amendments. HURIWA said the action of the Senators will further aggravate the various agitations for self-determination in the country. “What has happened today in the…

The Senate on Wednesday passed 29 out of the 33 items slated for amendment in the 1999 Constitution. The lawmakers unanimously voted to strip the President of powers to assent to amendments made to the constitution, thereby giving the legislature sweeping powers to alter the constitution. They voted 92 against four to pass the amendment seeking to whittle down the power of the President to veto the amendments to the constitution. The lawmakers also unanimously passed the amendment seeking to include past Presidents of the Senate and former House of Representatives Speakers as members of Council of State. Also on…

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has proposed N128 billion for capital projects in the Federal Capital Territory for 2017. The capital expenditure was broken into 93 percent for ongoing projects and seven percent for new projects in the FCT. Osinbajo, in the FCT 2017 statutory budget proposal to the House of Representatives, asked that N222,360,551,512,00 be appropriated for the FCT. In his letter dated July 20, 2017 and addressed to Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, the acting President said the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) runs two budgets – National and statutory budgets. He said: “The FCT component…

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Wednesday decried the rising cases of kidnapping across the country, urging security agencies to address this. Akeredolu spoke in Akure when the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Maj.- Gen. Chukwunedum Abraham, paid him a courtesy call. According to the governor, kidnapping remains one of the greatest problems confronting Ondo State and other parts of the country. “There is insecurity in Nigeria and total breakdown of law and order. People are being kidnapped here and there, causing panic. “It is getting alarming and I am not too sure it’s something within…

The Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said on Wednesday the Supreme Court judgment on the party’s leadership tussle brought stability to the polity. Makarfi stated this when he received a delegation of the PDP Women Forum at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja. Makarfi, who said the judgment had also calmed down tensions, promised that PDP would not let Nigerians down. “It was a landmark judgment that touches on every political party you can think of. It was a landmark judgment that has stabilised the polity. “We know there is…

The Nigerian Army said it had rescued all the NNPC staff kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Borno on Tuesday. The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, also said that the corpses of an officer, eight soldiers and a civilian, who died in the incident had been recovered. Usman said the corpses had been evacuated to 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital. “Suspected Boko Haram terrorists ambushed the escort and team of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) staff returning from oil exploration at Barno Yasu, Magumeri Local Government Area of…

Osun State Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has said he is not owing civil servants salaries. Aregbesola said this on Wednesday in Osogbo at a symposium organised by the Osun Command of the Police Community Relations Committee. The governor said in spite of the economic challenges confronting the nation and the state in particular, his administration had not failed in paying workers regularly. Aregbesola said he was aware of the insinuation being peddled by those he regarded as adversaries to incite the public against his administration. He, however, said workers in the state had been paid up to June. “Let me…

Trump intensified his assault on Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday, in an apparent bid to force his one-time ally from office and regain influence over a Russia investigation eating away at the administration. For the fourth time in a week, Trump laid into one of his earliest endorsers, now demanding to know why Sessions has not fired the acting FBI director. Trump appears to be trying to force the former Alabama senator from office, allowing the president to replace Sessions with someone who has not recused himself from the investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign…

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo will on Thursday, inaugurate a new world-class fertilizer plant built by Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited in Port Harcourt. Mr Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, made the announcement in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday. According to the presidential aide, the plant with production capacity of 1.5 million metric tons of Urea fertilizer is considered the world’s largest single-train Urea plant. Read Also Ambode partners MIT says Lagos has empowered 4000 businesses Eleme Petrochemicals Company Ltd, now Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited, was privatised…

Guinness Nigeria Plc yesterday presented a detailed breakdown of its plans to raise N39,700,688,598 by way of rights issue to its existing shareholders. The company shared details of its rights issue programme at a presentation which was held at the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Lagos. The event was attended by a cross section of stakeholders including shareholders, fund/portfolio managers, regulators, auditors, issuing houses and registrars. A total of 684,494,631 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each will be offered to existing shareholders in the ratio of five new ordinary shares for every eleven ordinary shares held by shareholders whose names appeared on…