Author: Vincent Osuwo

Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State and current senator representing Edo North, has deemed his son, Cyril, eligible to serve as the state’s health commissioner.  Oshiomhole said this on Channels Television’s Politics Today program on Wednesday. Cyril, a medical practitioner, was appointed as commissioner of health by Monday Okpebholo, the state governor and close ally of Oshiomhole, and sworn in on November 19 at Benin City’s Government House. When questioned if he supported his son’s selection as commissioner, former Labour Party leader Oshiomhole acknowledged that he had raised his concerns with the governor at the time the…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed reforms to improve the country’s electoral system, following lessons learnt from the 2023 general election and subsequent off-cycle polls. INEC also confirmed it will soon present its legislative proposals to the relevant committees in the Senate and House of Representatives. Speaking at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners in Abuja on Thursday, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, outlined the commission’s vision to address long-standing challenges and modernise election management. “Having released our 524-page main report on the election, a copy of which is available on our website, we have consulted widely internally…

Several shops and goods worth millions have been destroyed by fire which occured at the Old Airport axis of the Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. The inferno, which affected shops and offices, started around 4:00 pm on Wednesday, prompting residents to alert the Jos South and Jos North fire services. “I came out of my office, and I saw fire everywhere. I don’t know the actual cause, but I was able to contact the fire service from Jos South and Jos North Local Government Areas. They were able to mobilise their people, who came, and right now,…

Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader who was born in the UK and spent much of her youth in Nigeria, has defended her remarks about the country, which she describes as plagued by corruption.  On Monday, Vice President Kashim Shettima proposed that Badenoch “remove the Kemi from her name” if she did not feel pride in her “nation of origin.” According to a BBC report on Wednesday, in response to Shettima’s suggestion that she should “remove Kemi from her name” if she lacks pride in her Nigerian roots, a spokesperson for Badenoch said she “stands by what she says” and…

The Swedish Prosecution Authority has announced that the investigation into rape charges against French footballer Kylian Mbappé has been discontinued owing to insufficient evidence to proceed.  This is according to various accounts from Thursday morning. The charges had sparked international interest, casting a pall over the football star’s career. Mbappé, who has constantly refuted the allegations, has yet to release an official statement over the decision. His legal team has previously emphasised his adherence to due procedure. On October 17, 2024, Mbappé was “linked to a rape investigation in Sweden” and that he intended to reserve any explanations for the…

A Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja on Wednesday convicted and sentenced a man, Bamidele Folorunsho, to ten years in jail for indecent treatment and sexual assault of a juvenile by touching her anus and caressing her breasts.  Justice Rahman Oshodi, who delivered the verdict, found Folorunsho guilty of two revised counts brought against him by the Lagos State Government. The offender, who was first accused of defilement of a 12-year-old child in February 2018, was arraigned in October 2021 and pleaded not guilty. However, when the issue came up on Wednesday, O. Aluko, the state’s…

At least two yet-to-be-identified students from Borno State University have been killed in a tragic road accident involving the school staff bus and a truck on Njimtilo Road on Wednesday. Chronicle NG gathered from the state police command that three other students were in critical condition after the crash. Nahum Kenneth, the spokesperson for the command, informed our correspondent that a large truck collided with the university bus, leaving several other students with varying degrees of injury. Our correspondent gathered that the victims were quickly taken to the Umaru Shehu Specialist Hospital, where they are receiving medical care. It was…

The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance, and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has attributed the worsening cash shortage across the country to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) inability to meet the cash demands of commercial banks. ASSBIFI President, Olusoji Oluwole, highlighted the dire impact of the scarcity, particularly as the festive season approaches, with increased demand for cash for shopping and business transactions. “In terms of (the cash) scarcity, this is something that has not ended since the redesign of the naira,” Oluwole said. Oluwole stated that banks have only two principal sources of cash: the CBN and retailers.…

Gas-producing companies have stopped the supply of natural gas to power the national grid for electricity production over the non-payment of debts accrued from previous supplies. Dr. Joy Ogaji, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Power Generation Businesses, revealed the latest developments in an interview on Wednesday, emphasising that the gas-producing businesses have legally notified all GenCos of the suspension of natural gas delivery. The gas supply was abruptly suspended after the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority reportedly directed gas producers to restrict natural gas deliveries to indebted GenCos until further notice, citing increasing indebtedness. The situation…

The tomb of Hafez, the father of deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, was set on fire in his birthplace of Qardaha on Wednesday, according to AFP footage, with rebel fighters in fatigues and young men watching. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said AFP that rebels had set fire to the mausoleum in Assad’s Alawite community’s heartland of Latakia. AFP film showed parts of the mausoleum on fire and damaged, as well as Hafez’s tomb being charred and demolished. The large raised edifice atop a hill has an elaborate architectural design with multiple arches, and its exterior is…