Author: Chronicle Editor

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has petitioned the Supreme Court over his defeat by real estate businessman, Adama Barrow in the December 1 election. Interestingly, the Supreme Court move was made on the same day his soldiers occupied the headquarters of the electoral commission and West African leaders failed to reach a deal that would see him accept the result and end a deepening political crisis. The legal petition filed by his party before the Supreme Court, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction now raises the prospect that Barrow’s narrow victory, which was poised to end years of Jammeh’s autocratic…

A debts profile of about N30 billion is currently rocking Nigeria’s $68 billion telecommunications industry, The Guardian has learnt. The debt is being owed the Value Added Service (VAS) providers by the telecom operators and has been on for about five years now. VAS is a popular telecom industry term for non-core services, or all services beyond standard voice calls and fax transmissions. It can be used in any service industry, for services available at little or no cost to promote their primary business. Though, The Guardian gathered that about eight per cent or about N2.4billion of the debt was…

Facebook Inc CEO, Mark Zuckerberg will be absent when United States President-elect, Donald Trump meet with top technology leaders in New York City. On Wednesday some of the biggest names in the American technology business headed to Trump Tower to meet the president-elect. Throughout his campaign to be elected president, Mr Trump put technology companies and their executives in the firing line, with calls for boycotts and accusations of tax-dodging. And with tax and immigration reform at the heart of his plans in the White House, there could be ample scope for fireworks between the leader-to-be and Silicon Valley’s most-powerful.…

On Tuesday, Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari said that Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh had been very receptive to a delegation of West African leaders who were expected to urge the long-ruling leader to relinquish power following a poll defeat in the recent Gambia election. When asked if Jammeh had been receptive, he told reporters shortly after the meeting: “Yes, very much so.” Earlier on Tuesday, Gambia’s security forces sealed off the building of the Independent Electoral Commission, instructed its chairman to leave and have since barred other employees from entering.

On Tuesday, Manchester City midfielder, Yaya Toure admitted to being over the legal limit following a drink-driving conviction. The footballer, said he has no explanation for the reading as he does not consume alcohol because of his religious beliefs. Toure was arrested in London on Nov. 28 and was given an 18-month ban and an income-related fine of 54,000 pounds ($68,600) at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on Monday. The 33-year-old Ivorian issued a statement on his personal website saying he had not intentionally drunk alcohol but shed no light on how he gave an illegal reading. “I have always refused alcohol.…

Chelsea have accepted a £60m offer from Chinese club Shanghai SIPG, managed by former Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas, for midfielder Oscar. The 25-year-old Brazilian will make the move in January. (Daily Telegraph) Blues manager Antonio Conte has admitted he cannot guarantee midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 29, will still be at the club after the transfer window shuts. (London Evening Standard) Manchester United are reportedly close to signing 15-year-old Ajax forward Daishawn Redan, who has played for Netherlands Under-17s. (Daily Mirror) United winger Memphis Depay, 22, and midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, 27, are free to leave for Everton in January. (Daily Mail) Chelsea,…

West African leaders in Banjul trying to convince Yahya Jammeh to acknowledge his defeat in the presidential election have met a stone wall, but remain resolute. The Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who led the delegation said they have not yet reached an agreement. “We did not come for an agreement; we came to help the Gambians to organize the transition,” APA report on Wednesday. “It is not something that can be accomplished in one day, it is necessary to work on it,” Mrs. Johnson Sirleaf, current chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said. The delegates,…

Chelsea have accepted a stunning £60million bid to take midfielder Oscar to China in January from the club’s former manager Andre Villas-Boas, The Telegraph has reported. Oscar has told his Chelsea team-mates that he is moving to China, where he will link up with Villas-Boas at Shanghai SIPG, having fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge under head coach Antonio Conte. Jiangsu Suning, who made an offer to sign Oscar last summer, and Guangzhou Evergrande, managed by Luiz Felipe Scolari, also showed an interest but Shanghai are now completing the formalities to land the 25-year-old. Chelsea could not refuse £60m…

On Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari will present the 2017 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly. The document will be the second one to be presented by the President after his inauguration in May 2015. Buhari, who will be accompanied by top government officials, is expected to present the document to the National Assembly at 10:00 am. The Federal Executive Council had on November 30 approved the document for presentation to the National Assembly. Speaking to State House correspondents at the end of the council’s meeting, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, who refused…

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has assured Nigerian workers of a pay rise next year. Ngige stated this in Awka, the Anambra State capital in an interactive session with journalists on Tuesday.He noted that various committees handling the minimum wage issue were working to arrive at something. He said the minimum wage under Buhari would not be like any pay rise in the country. The Minister said, “minimum wage is a constitutional issue and is in the exclusive list. “The Nigerian workers are entitled to a review of their pay under the constitution of the Federal…