Prime News International.

The crisis rocking the Edo state Chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has deepened following decision of the state party executives to withdraw support for the party’s governorship candidate, Osaro Onaiwu. This is coming three days after National Chairman of the party, Mr. Victor Oye, suspended the entire Edo state executives of the party for alleged anti-party activities. But the suspended party executives in a press statement issued in Benin yesterday said actions, inactions and omissions of Onaiwu amounted to anti-party activities. The statement signed by the party’s state chairman, Godfrey Ehizokhale Ehimhen and State secretary, Aifuobhokhan Emmanuel, said they have not been impressed by the actions of Onaiwu since he joined the party after he resigned as the Director General of the Governor’s Forum. Among the reasons listed for the decision, according to the statement, included lack of respect for the party authority, assault and humiliatio...

There is indeed cause for worry. When three major domestic airlines get grounded in weeks, you are bound to begin to imagine the country itself is shutting down. This was the feeling recently as three airlines: Aero Contractors; First Nation and Arik announced in quick succession, their inability to continue to fly their domestic and foreign routes. Although Arik Airlines, the biggest of them all, has announced its return to business, not so for the other two. Aero on its part insists it is undergoing “strategic realignment” for improved profitability, it may take a while to return as it is enmeshed in deep debt issues with the Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), which has already taken over management of the firm. First Nation attributes its suspension of flying to operational hitches, noting that it was temporary, but Arik cites non-renewal of insurance cover for the aircraft on its fleet. Whatever the reasons for the flight hiccups, it is a sign...

The old line in the mid-80s was a-rice o compatriots! Then essential commodities, most notably, rice was so scarce that each time Nigerians heard the word rise, in any conversation, speech or even the national anthem, they would come to attention, if only to find out the next location for the rationed sale of rice. There was a famous cartoon in one national newspaper of that era, which depicted guests apparently at a seminar snoring away even as the speaker pranced and puffed, presenting his speech. The great moment came when the speaker said: “In conclusion, all these would give rise…” and pronto, the snoozing audience came alive exclaiming: “Rice? Did he just say rice?! Where?!” Today, Nigeria’s rice conundrum has shifted another gear and downhill it seems to throttle. Two grievous incidents happened last week to buttress this point. Inside Government House, Borno State, Northeast of Nigeria, there was a near-fatal shootout as policemen and soldiers struggled over...

Shocking! This simply describes the statement by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria’s (SON) Acting Director-General, Dr Paul Angya, that the organisation had no opportunity of verifying 90 per cent of products imported into the country from September to December, 2015. Angya, who disclosed this in Lagos during a two-day capacity-building workshop organised by SON for media executives said this was due to the three-month window that the organisation provided for importers to enable them register on the Nigeria Customs electronic platform, Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS). According to him: “The NICIS platform allowed all stakeholders in the maritime sector to view data on shipment. But, because the World Trade Organisation required that we should allow time for importers to register on the NICIS platform, we left a window of three months between September and December (2015) and issued them Electronic Provisional Clearance Certificate as an alternativ...

Tattooed rebel, red carpet queen, goodwill ambassador and anti-cancer warrior: Angelina Jolie is a silver screen beauty with convictions to match, and a record of taking tough decisions without looking back.  After a decade in the Hollywood spotlight as one half of the “Brangelina” celebrity couple, the 41-year-old filed this week for divorce from Brad Pitt, it emerged Tuesday. Jolie And Pitt  The split opens a new chapter for the thrice-married mother of six — whose roller-coaster life has taken her from movie star glory to refugee camps in Africa, to a role as an outspoken champion of women’s health.  Jolie was propelled to stardom with her role in 1999’s “Girl, Interrupted,” taking home a best supporting actress Oscar for her portrayal of a rebellious woman in a mental institution.  She went on to play everything from a fairy tale villain (“Maleficent”) to a sexy video game heroine (“Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”) to the widow of murdered American jo...

A few days ago, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, wife of the APC gubernatorial candidate in the Edo State governorship election, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, stated that the PDP was the reason why many Edo women went into prostitution in Europe. I have noted with keen interest, the responses of most of the opposition agents who while condemning Mrs. Obaseki for her inappropriate remarks tried to gloss over our dark past when many of our women, even married ones, ran away from home, with many losing their lives in the treacherous sands of the Sahara Desert and the volatile Mediterranean Sea, in search of a better life that turned out to be mostly affordable by spreading their legs wide open for lustful men that readily parted with the precious dollar bills. We cannot deny our past but we must not have our history distorted, particularly by strangers. It appears Mrs. Betsy Obaseki belongs to the latter category, with due apology in recognition of her marital union. Her submission is a distortion ...