Author: Chronicle Editor

The espionage trial of former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig began Monday behind closed doors in a Beijing courtroom. Kovrig’s trial comes less than a week after it opened proceedings against his compatriot Michael Spavor. Kovrig’s trial which opened on Monday behind closed doors in Beijing witnessed diplomats from more than two dozen countries, including Germany, attempt in vain to gain access to the proceedings. Many legal observers said the pair were pawns caught in a fight between Washington and Beijing. Kovrig and Spavor, whose trial opened on Friday, were arrested in December 2018 following the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the…

The clamour for power shift got a push on Sunday from former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, who called for zoning and rotational presidency among the six geo-political zones. General Gowon said rotating the office is key to peace, tranquility and development. The elder statesman, who spoke in Abuja at 100th anniversary of Barewa Old Boys Association (BOBA), canvassed the rotation of the presidency among the 19 Northern states, adding that, no ethnic group is better outside the nation than inside as one united Nigeria. He suggested that Nigeria should henceforth, have two vice presidents, saying that one of…

Access Bank Plc has started the payment of N5 on every $1 received by customers from abroad. This is in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s “Naira 4 Dollar scheme” aimed at encouraging the inflow of diaspora remittances. The scheme started on March 8 and will run till Saturday, May 8, 2021. Executive Director, Retail Banking, Access Bank Plc, Victor Etuokwu, said remittance services is a key aspect of the economy and it is still vibrant and viable because people still take care of family members, loved ones, friends and invest at home, though they live abroad. According to…

South Africa has sold a million doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for distribution in 14 fellow African nations, the health minister announced Sunday. South Africa last month suspended its vaccination programme, which had started with AstraZeneca jabs, after doubts were raised over that vaccine’s efficacy against a local variant of Covid-19. Pretoria instead announced its intention to sell its AstraZeneca doses to the African Union (AU). Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement that “the first batch of vaccines that is being delivered will benefit 9 (AU) member states. The balance will be collected this week to be…

A former Senate Deputy Minority Chief Whip and a frontline All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Senator Abu Ibrahim, has said that Nigeria will be safe under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, if he is voted as the President in 2023. The Katsina State-born former lawmaker spoke at the weekend in Abuja during the inauguration of Bola Tinubu Support Organisation (BTSO). He expressed support for promoters of Bola Tinubu Presidency in 2023, saying he had known the APC National Leader for over 20 years. Ibrahim described Asiwaju Tinubu as a focused Nigerian and a great leader who is passionate about identifying potentials in…

Donald Trump plans to return to social media soon, using “his own platform” after being banned from Twitter and other outlets, a former advisor said on Sunday. “I do think that we’re going to see president Trump returning to social media in probably about two or three months,” Jason Miller told Fox News. “It’s going to completely redefine the game, and everybody is going to be waiting and watching to see what exactly president Trump does, but it will be his own platform,” said Miller, who held senior posts in both of Trump’s presidential campaigns. Trump’s provocative use of social…

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the attack on Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, stating that the string of brutal attacks on individuals and communities in the state, with the latest one targeting the governor, was unacceptable. The president made the condemnation in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Sunday. Buhari welcomed the dispatch of a high level team of crack investigators to the state from the Police headquarters in Abuja, urging the officers to uncover who, or whatsoever, was behind the attacks and bring them to justice. He…

Several policy makers and media managers have accused the Nigerian media of allowing its obsession for bad news and screaming headlines to obstruct the principal mandate of setting the right agenda toward building a united and virile nation. Some of them, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) across the nation, expressed disgust at the promotion of bad and sensational news over developmental stories crucial to bringing Nigerians together and maximising their potential. They specifically decried the preponderance of fake news that had caused sharp divisions along tribal, religious and geographical lines leading to mutual distrust, suspicion and…

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has vowed to ensure that every cent of the $1.5 billion proposed for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery is accounted for. He made the pledge during an interview aired on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics where he boldly looked at the camera and asked Nigerians to hold him responsible in the event of anything otherwise. “I can look at the camera; they (Nigerians) can hold me accountable and hold this government accountable for every dollar, every cent on this project and ensure that we deliver a refinery that works,” the minister…

Keystone Bank Limited has restated its commitment to environmental sustainability as it recently partnered with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) to plant 100 fruit trees. A statement by the bank said the exercise which was in commemoration of the 2021 International Day of Forests (IDF) with the theme “Forest and Biodiversity”, witnessed employees of the financial institution plant seedlings of jack fruit, tenera oil palm, cashew and mango donated by NCF in their homes. The lender further noted that the exercise aligned in achieving the goals of preserving and restoring the environment for the benefit of the people. “It equally…