THE FAMILY of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Vice-Chairman, South-South, Chief Daniel Orbih, has confirmed his death at 64, as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and former Edo governor, Godwin Obaseki, mourned the veteran politician and described his death as a painful and significant loss to Edo State and Nigeria. The confirmation was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Benin by Mr Francis Orbih on behalf of the family. The family described the deceased as a beloved brother, husband, father and uncle, saying his death was received with “profound sadness and a heavy…
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WOMEN and girls in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) say rising sanitary pad costs are forcing them to adopt cheaper alternatives to manage menstrual hygiene. They said this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja. Mr Christian Ibe, a businessman at Wuse Market, attributed the surge in the cost of sanitary products to inflation, depreciation of the naira and high distribution expenses. Ibe said this was in spite of government efforts, including the exemption of sanitary products from Value Added Tax. He said the soaring price of sanitary pads had worsened period poverty…
FORMER British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday announced his decision to step down as Member of Parliament (MP) for Holborn and St Pancras. Starmer, in a statement, said: “Now is the right time to step down as MP for Holborn and St Pancras and hand the baton over to a successor.” He said he would now focus on “international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world.” Starmer’s resignation will trigger a by-election in the London constituency. He said that whoever emerged as the Labour Party’s candidate for the seat would have his “full support and…
BY ABADOM LAWRENCE AMECHI IN THE ancient Roman Empire, there was a practice of organising a triumphal parade for victorious generals and their armies after returning from battle. The victorious general would lead the procession through the city as citizens gathered along the streets, cheering and showering him with praises. Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as ‘VeryDarkMan’ But there was a deliberate reminder built into the celebration. A person, sometimes a young boy, would stand behind the general and repeatedly remind him that he was still a mortal man. The purpose was to ensure that the overwhelming praise and adulation…
THE NUMBER of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has passed the 6,000 mark, government data showed on Monday. The epidemic has become the largest in the central African country’s history, surpassing the previous worst outbreak that lasted from 2018 to 2020. It is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has no approved vaccines or treatments. The number of people with confirmed infections has risen to 6,041, and 2,911 of them have died, the communication ministry said on X. Response teams are working in six provinces affected by the outbreak, with a particular focus on…
A NATIONAL Leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr Chike Okogwu, has backed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to restore fuel subsidy if elected president. Okogwu, a former member of the Federal Government’s Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), said any new subsidy regime should address weaknesses in the previous system. He spoke in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja. According to him, a reworked subsidy system should be transparent, targeted and supported by digital monitoring mechanisms. Okogwu, who represented Persons with Disabilities on the SURE-P Board from 2012 to…
A UNITED Nation’s committee said countries are legally obliged to consider reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and take other measures to address the enduring legacy of racial discrimination it says persists today. Guidance published on Monday by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination stated that the obligations arise from a legally binding 1965 convention on racial discrimination, not from the legal standards that existed when the slave trade took place. The committee described the approach as a “paradigm shift” away from debates over historical responsibility that have often been used by governments to resist reparations claims. “States…
LIONEL Messi, who captained Argentina to World Cup victory in 2022 and the final in 2026, is retiring from international football, he said on Monday. The record eight-times Ballon d’Or winner is his country’s record appearance-maker and scorer with 125 goals in 207 games, having transformed a complicated relationship with the national team into a story of redemption and triumph. “It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deep down — but I understand that the time has come. I swear to you that I always gave it my all — not just in these last few years…
THE NIGERIA Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has described the death of Dotun Oladipo, veteran journalist and publisher of The Eagle Online, as a major loss to the media industry and the nation. Oladipo, 56, died on Tuesday, last week. The NUJ, in a statement signed by its President, Comrade Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi, expressed profound shock and sadness over the death of the journalist, describing him as a distinguished practitioner whose contributions to Nigerian journalism spanned several decades. The union said Oladipo’s death came at a time when the journalism profession required courage, professionalism, integrity…
THE DANGOTE Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals is considering restricting sales of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to major marketers that continue to import petrol into Nigeria, amid concerns over product quality, market transparency and the integrity of products supplied under the Dangote brand. The proposed measure, which could take effect as early as this week, subject to further consultations and any last-minute intervention, reflects growing concerns over the continued entry of imported PMS into a market where substantial domestic refining capacity is now available. Sources familiar with the refinery’s position said the immediate concern relates to the fact that some marketers…