Author: Chief Editor

Ize-Iyamu: The incumbent has betrayed our collective trust Obaseki: We still have 70% positive rating, 80% voters with us As campaigning for the Edo State governorship election hits the home stretch, the two main contenders have upped the ante in their war of words with each other, by underlining their motivations and stating why the other party may be dangerous for the state. The contest has been something of a grudge match after the incumbent governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in June to become the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and square…

Rejected $200m, oil bloc settlement, out of greed wanted $2bn How Malami, late Abba Kyari, Emefiele managed case Process & Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) now faces a bleak financial future following the judgment of the United Kingdom Commercial Court, which established a prima facie case of fraud against the company in the failed Gas Supply Processing Agreement (GSPA) with Nigeria. Apart from facing financial ruin, Interpol is said to have placed top officials of the company on watch list in Ireland and in the UK, and currently barred them from travelling out since they are likely to face criminal prosecution…

Fola Ojo George Bush International Airport in Houston was my port of re-entry as I returned to the United States from Nigeria sometime ago. When it was my turn to be screened for entry, the ushering Homeland Security agent asked: “What were you doing abroad, Sir; and what do you do?” “I am a journalist and preacher, Sir”, I answered. “Preacher; I hope you are praying for me?” “I pray for America every day. America has been good to me”. “Great to hear that. How much are you bringing back?” I told him. He stamped my passport and welcomed me…

Ayo Olukotun “Must it be a do-or-die affair? Do not kill yourselves because of public office. Stop the shootings. This is the worst scenario” – The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, at a peace parley called to douse the pre-election tension in Edo state, The Nation, Thursday, September 3, 2020. Even by the standards of Nigeria’s notoriously intense and violent elections, the run-up to the Edo State governorship election, barely a fortnight away, must be considered exceptional in the level of vandalism and inter-party violence. The opening quote sourced from the Benin monarch who called a peace meeting, earlier…

• Hike In VAT, Cost Of Electricity, Petrol, Foodstuffs Unbearable, Nigerians Lament • Mass Action Looms • Petrol Marketers Back Deregulation As governments in other climes strive to ameliorate the adverse effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) through palliative measures, bailouts and waivers, the Nigerian government appears to be aggravating the impact on its citizens and businesses. Rash of hikes and increases in cost of products and services, is thereby making life unbearable and near impossible for recovery. First, it was an increase of Value Added Tax (VAT) from five to 7.5 per cent, followed by resuscitation of Stamp Duty…

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has given notice of commencement of indefinite strike with Monday as commencement date. Also, for allegedly being adamant to their demands and threats to down tool, Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) are poised to embark on strike over outstanding welfare packages of their members. The doctors said they were demanding payment of the medical residency training to all its members as approved in the revised 2020 budget. They are also seeking the provision of genuine group life insurance and death in service benefits for all health…

•156 New Cases recorded THISDAY has confirmed that Russia has not supplied the COVID-19 vaccine it developed to Nigeria, contrary to reports that emanated yesterday. Rather, what happened was the signing of a memorandum of Understanding by Nigeria with Russia, which will give the country access to the developed vaccine as soon as it is available for export. A source at the meeting said it was decided that as soon as the vaccine is sent to Nigeria, it would be forwarded to the National Agency for Drug and Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Nigeria Institute for Pharmaceutical Development (NIPRD)…

The President of Ghana, Prof. Nana Akufo-Addo has assured the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila that the Ghanaian government would consider amending their law that makes it compulsory for foreigners (including Nigerian traders) to have $1million as capital base to enable them operate retail businesses in the country. Several foreign businesses, many Nigerian-owned, in Ghana have been facing challenges with the nation’s demand for $1 million capital base, as enshrined in the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC) Act (2013). The need to review this law was one of the resolutions reached at the “Legislative Diplomacy Bilateral Meeting”…

•President: Ruling will protect national assets from criminally-minded group •Substantive application to set aside award now to be heard A court in the United Kingdom has delivered an unprecedented judgment, permitting Nigeria to proceed with its challenge of an arbitral award (now over $10 billion) made against it over three years ago, and also agreed that the country had established a prima facie case of fraud against the benefiting firm, Process and Industrial Development (P&ID). The arbitration decision was over a failed Gas Supply and Processing Agreement (GSPA) between P&ID, an Irish firm, and the federal government of Nigeria. In…

Frank Lampard has splashed the cash on as many as five new players so far this summer. Kai Havertz looks to join the club in the coming days in a record-breaking deal from Bayer Leverkusen. Chelsea Football Club finished the 2019-20 Premier League season in fourth place with 66 points. The club finished 38 points behind champions Liverpool and were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona in the Round of 16. In ordinary circumstances, the 2019-20 season would be labelled as a failure by Chelsea standards. However, given that they faced a two-window transfer ban in 2019 during which they sold…