Author: Chronicle Editor

The Senate on Tuesday commenced debate on the 2022 appropriation bill presented to the National Assembly last week by President Muhammadu Buhari. Senate President Ahmad Lawan who presided over plenary, said the debate on the bill which is slated for two days continues on Wednesday, October 13, 2021. President Buhari had on Thursday last week presented a N16.39 trillion budget proposal for the 2022 fiscal year. He said out of the total expenditure of N16.39 trillion Naira proposed for the Federal Government in 2022, N768.28 is for Statutory Transfers; N6.83 trillion is for Non-debt Recurrent Costs; and N4.11 trillion for…

Former deputy senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has commended the Senate for reversing itself on electronic transmission of results, saying it was a huge victory for the nation’s democracy. Ekweremadu said the Senate’s action justified his assurances to Nigerians in July that all hope was not lost for electronic transmission of 2023 election results despite the initial setback. In a statement by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu, Ekweremadu said: “I want to specially commend the Senate for setting aside narrow partisan interests to correct the mistake of July 15, 2021 by reversing itself on the issue of electronic transmission of…

Eight workers of Dangote Petrochemical and Oil Refinery, were Tuesday, arraigned before a Federal High Court, Lagos, over offences bordering on conspiracy and wilful and unlawful damage of some materials meant for the company. The workers arraigned before Justice Paul Odo Lifu on charges by the Force Headquarters, Abuja, were: Larry Irek; Plus Omeke; Jasper Dick; Gideon Idah; Ojey Jerry Endurance ‘M’, Hassan Saidu; Igwe David and Nweke Chike. Arraigning the defendants, the prosecutor, Mr. Effiong Asuquo, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), told the court that all the defendants and others now at large committed the offences at Ibeju…

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has called for an improvement in forex policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Contrary to false reports that the VP was calling for devaluation, he advoctes for the adoption of the best forex policies which will benefit Nigerians. The latest development was disclosed in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media & Publicity, Laolu Akande. “Our attention has been drawn to statements and reports in the media mis-characterising as a call for devaluation, the view of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN that the Naira exchange rate was being…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Uyo Zonal Command on Monday October 11, 2021 secured the conviction of nine internet fraudsters before Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court Calabar, Cross River State. They pleaded guilty to a one count charge bordering on cybercrime. In view of their guilty pleas, the prosecuting Counsel, Soares Adebayo prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants. But the defence counsel Innocent Eze S. N. Nweke Jr pleaded for leniency on the grounds that they were first time offenders. After listening to both counsel, Justice Oghoghorie convicted and sentenced all…

The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Hon. Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf as Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. Hon. Yusuf’s confirmation followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters. Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, in his presentation, said that his nomination satisfies the requirements of the 1999 Constitution as amended; and the Senate Standing Orders, 2015, as amended. The lawmaker stated that the nominee has a wide range of experience, comportment, exposure and possesses the requisite leadership qualities of a Judicial Officer to effectively…

The existing collaboration between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Security and Exchange Commission, SEC, received a boost with a capacity-building training for select officers of the Commission in the Lagos Zonal Command. Speaking during the one-day training tagged “ Enlightenment Programme on the Capital Market and the Investigation of Capital Market Complaints” which held at the Conference Room of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Command today, Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Stephen Falomo, Director, SEC, Lagos Zonal Office, said the training was one of the strategies of the agency to drive the development of the market, while also…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC today, Tuesday, October 12, 2021 arraigned a former Vice Chancellor of Federal University Gusau, Professor Magaji Garba before Justice Maryam Hassan Aliyu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi Abuja on a five-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and forgery. He allegedly extorted various sums from a contractor on the pretext of awarding him a N3billion contract for the perimeter wall fencing of the University. The offence is contrary to section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related…

The Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Finance to, as a matter of urgency, release adequate funds to the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) for the purpose of carrying out emergency repairs on all federal roads in the country. This was even as the chamber called on the Federal Government to immediately declare a state of emergency on federal roads and improve its funding. These formed part of resolutions reached by the chamber following a motion considered during plenary on Tuesday. Sponsored by Senator Gershom Bassey, it is titled: “Motion on Nigeria’s Bad Roads And NUPENG’S Impending Nationwide Strike”.…

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday persuaded the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to employ foreign exchange policies that will be in the best interest of Nigerians. In response to headlines from some major new outlets seemingly purporting that the Vice President Mr Yemi Osinbajo is promoting an alternative policy view than that of the President, we would like to clarify that his words referencing an artificially low exchange rate were without the benefit of proper context. The Vice President stated that “As for the exchange rate, I think we need to move our rates to be as reflective of…