Imo Guber election ,the stakes and swings.

Imo Guber election ,the stakes and swings. Okechukwu Jombo writes that Imo state Gubernatorial battle seem to be swinging out of the reach of the incumbent Governor Rochas Okorocha due to latest political developments in the state The Governorship tussle in Imo state between the incumbent Governor Rochas okorocha of the All Progressive congress APC ,The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho of the The All Progressive grand alliance APGA seem to be swinging out of the reach of the incumbent with latest developments in the state Okorocha before the developments was the candidate to beat and was heading to victory especially with the division in both opposition parties.A lot of people in PDP were still not sure of who their candidate in the gubernatorial election will be between Ihedioha and Senator Ifeanyi Ararume with their case still in court while Iheanacho battled legitimacy in his party due to the division between the leadership of the party. Some of the development included the peace resolution with Former governor of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim, Mike Ahamba and Bethel Amadi and the winner of Imo state PDP governorship Primary, Hon Emeka Ihedioha . They urged their supporters to ensure victory for the party for the upcoming governorship election. Another incident is what happened to a well publicized students’ rally for Governor Okorocha of Imo state recently which degenerated into a violent protest against the governor leading to a major security breach following invasion of the government house by irate youths. Throngs of students and youths from all walks of life had gathered at the Governor Rochas Okorocha Campaign office along Okigwe road. They were said to have been gathered by the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Students Affairs, Godstime Samuel, for a solidarity rally in support of the re-election of the governor under a strange platform called the National Union of Imo State Students (NUISS). The students who turned out in their thousands were drawn 80 each from each of the 27 council areas in the state. They students indeed staged a massive rally and roadshow for the governor and reconvened at the freedom square where they were addressed by the Commissioner for Lands, Chief Uche Nwosu and later the governor himself who promised them N4million as transport. At the end of the rally, the Executive Assistant, Godstime Samuel presented the sum of N1.5million to be shared among over 10,000 young men. It was however not clear the reasons given by Samuel; whether N1.5million was all that was provided by the governor or whether he put the rest of the money to other uses, but the students would not buy any of the story. And in the confusion that followed, Samuel disappeared from the scene. Angry and unable to locate their contact man for explanations and completion of the money, anger led to frustration and a massive student rampage erupted. Now chanting solidarity songs in favour of the PDP and its governorship candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, the youths marched into government breached the main gate and a near stampede ensued in government with government house workers scampering for safety. The action of the students who were virtually unchallenged saw government house workers fleeing to, as far as the Governor’s lodge for safety. Finding no one to address their grievances, the students vandalised and destroyed anything that stood in their way. The governor’s posters and billboards were torn to shreds, Street lampholders, APC flags along the government house drive-in were destroyed and traffic was grounded to a halt. The students were only restrained when a detachment of combat-ready policemen were drafted to the scene. The police had to shoot several cannisters of teargas to dislodge the defiant young men. The incident forced workers at commercial banks along the bank road area near government house to close down and flee their offices for fear of vandalised ion and teargas. Another incident was when a faction of the APGA adopted the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and PDPgovernorship candidate in Imo state, Ihedioha, and President Goodluck Jonathan as its choice for the February 14th and 28th elections. Factional national chairman of APGA, Chief Ejike Uche led some members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), and National Working Committee (NWC), to make the declaration while addressing journalists in Owerri, Monday. Uche told the media that their decision is based on the outcome of several meetings and consultations within and outside the party and urged all members of the party and the Imo electorate to demonstrate their support for the duo of Jonathan and Ihedioha by casting their votes for them. Uche said they did not accept the former Interior Minister, Capt Emma Iheanacho as their candidate, in view of his affiliation with Chief Victor Umeh, adding that the position of the group was a coalition and not merger. Also at the briefing were a former Attorney General of the state, Prof. Francis Dike, a former President of Orlu Zurume cultural group in the state, Chief Reuben Okoro, a former Mayor of Owerri Metropolis, Chief Uche Njoku, a Personal Assistant to Ihedioha and a member of his campaign organization, among others. While awaiting the court decision on the crisis befalling the APGA between him and Chief Victor Umeh, Ejike, said the party would produce a candidate by 2019, insisting that Prince Cletus C. Nwaka, remained their chairman in the state. He said: “After consultations, the best man today; the best man and the best man that will go on February 28, is Emeka Ihedioha.” Nwaka, who is a former chairman of the state’s Civil Service Commission (CSC), said he had remained the authentic party chairman in the state, who has discharged his duties well, stressing that he was in support of the party. Speaking for the party and Orlu, Okoro said he was being sincere, adding that it was the turn of Owerri zone and not the turn of re-enactment of Governor Rochas Okorocha, who comes from Orlu, after the Orlu zone had produced Chief Achike Udenwa for eight years before he handed over to Ikedi Ohakim after a stint of four years. With developments one cannot be sure of were the pendulum will swing but one thing for sure is that the PDP candidate seem to be gaining more ground everyday.

Buhari throws wife into political campaign

Buhari throws wife into political campaign By Okechukwu Jombo Against his known stance on women, Presidential Candidate of the All Progressive congress APC General Muhhamedu Buhari has resurrected his wife and thrown her into politics to campaign for him and his party. Aisha Buhari, the wife of the presidential candidate of the (APC), Buhari,is even heading the partys woman campaign committee alongside wife of the vice presidential candidate , Oludolapo Osinbajo. According to her, where such does not exist constitutionally, she will limit her roles to the traditional functions of visiting orphanages and caring for society’s downtrodden as the first lady. “`When my husband is elected as the president of this country, he will rule the country within the rule of law based on the constitution of the country. “If the office of the first lady is constitutionally recognised, he will not tamper with it, but if it is not that’s okay. “For me, I will perform my duties and role as the wife of the President of Nigeria traditionally. “Wives of presidents have some traditional roles, like receiving guests, visiting orphanages, helping the less privileged people. “They also lead in the fight for the right of women and malnourished children, infant mortality rate, kidnapping and girl-child trafficking,’’ she said. While inaugurating the initiative, Mrs Buhari urged the women to unite and cooperate with the men by mobilising women at all levels to ensure success at the February polls. She urged them to double their efforts in educating other women on how to cast their votes and at the same time be civil in their conducts. “As I am talking to you now, more than 55 percent of registered voters are women hence, it is imperative to have initiatives like this to mobilise fellow women at the grassroots. “The meeting will plan campaign activities that will show case the potentials of the women wing in selling the programmes of our great party to the women. “This will include mobilising women by creating voters awareness, particularly in the area of registration, collection of PVC, identifying the party logo and how to cast their votes,’’ Buhari said. Also speaking, the wife of the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Oludolapo Osinbajo, stressed the need to assist women and the less privileged in society. “I am happy that I am a mother, a wife and a sister. It is time to do more than we have been doing; encourage other women so that we all can be mothers of Nigeria. “Mothers heal, comfort, nurture, provide, and sacrifice. We have this virtue in us and by the grace of God; we will be given the opportunity to express who we are as women. “We are the ones who set the standard in the family; We decide whether our children will be honest or dishonest. “We have this opportunity to effect change, not only to change the things that are happening in this nation, we have the opportunity to change ourselves,’’ Osibanjo said. Present at the inauguration were the wives of the governors of Rivers, Imo and Nasarawa states, the national coordinator of #BringBackOurGirls campaign, and a host of other APC women and supporters Buhari before now had insisted the office of the first lady will be scrabbed because it was not constitutional.

Forget herbal cleansers, drink water and lemon

Forget herbal cleansers, drink water and lemon Many people start their day drinking herbal cleansers which they have been convinced would ‘cleanse’ their system of all wastes and toxic substances. Even though their efficacy and safety still remain a subject of hot debate in the medical world, millions of people keep downing herbal cleansers in quantities that could pose great danger to their health. More so, a recent study of 30 herbal cleansers by the Food and Drugs Administration in the United States revealed that they did not contain active ingredients or any medicinal substance that is beneficial to the body. The study also showed that 40 per cent of the random samples collected in the markets were adulterated. Another laboratory analysis conducted on samples of some herbal cleansers and ‘blood purifiers’ bought in open markets in Nigeria also revealed that many of them contained more alcohol than any of the herbal ingredients listed on their bottles. Scientists note that because of the high patronage they attract, herbal cleansers remain one of the most adulterated products in the country. This being the case, why expose yourself to the antics of counterfeiters who put suspicious substances in bottles and label them whatever they deem pleased, to the detriment of your health? Family physician, Dr. Segun Agbaje, advises that instead of ingesting substances that could predispose one to liver, kidney and other organ failure, one should rather consider simple but highly efficacious natural cleansers that you can make right in your kitchen that would improve your health. Agbaje states that natural cleansers such as water and lemon, when taken in reasonable quantity first thing in the morning, have been known not to only cleanse the body system but also detoxifies the body. “Warm water and lemon juice is a natural energiser and cleanser that is at the acceptable temperature and state with the body. Analysing them individually, experts say water is the fluid that takes nutrients and blood around the body. It is the medium in which toxins and wastes are excreted out of the body. So, if you want to cleanse your system or purify your blood, drinking more water than you do now should be the first step. “Lemon also has one of the highest concentrations of Vitamin C, a nutrient that must be derived from food because the body does not produce it. But the biggest benefit of drinking warm water and lemon is that it helps to maintain your body in an alkaline state. “When other foods such as rice, meat, yam, sugar and bread raise the acidic levels in the body, which allows bacteria and viruses to thrive in the body, water and lime, whose pH levels are alkaline, help to neutralise the toxic effects, reducing one’s chance of falling sick. However, the experts warn that one must not take lemon juice without water, as lemon is acidic and only becomes an alkaline fluid when water is added to it. Consultant Nutritionist, Tosin Akinsanya, says drinking warm water and lemon every morning keeps diseases at bay. Akinsanya notes that lemon is loaded with amazing quantities of potassium, folate, Vitamin B6 and thiamin, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and vitamins A and E – nutrients that the expert says boost immunity levels and fortify the body to fight free radical cells that could cause cancer and other degenerative diseases. “There is no better cleanser or good morning drink comparable to the combination of warm water and lemon, as opposed to coffee and some ginseng or herbal teas that we have in the market these days. “Lemon has disease-fighting nutrients, something we all need at a time when the incidences of cancer and other non communicable diseases are rising. If you eat a lot of fatty foods or high calorie foods such as bread and rice; or solid foods such as fufu, eba, amala, pounded yam, etc., regularly, you need to cleanse your system often in order to remove the acidic wastes. “A diet overhaul is clearly in order if you fall into the above category; but a good first step is a daily regimen of a cup of warm water and the juice of half a lemon, first thing in the morning, to increase your metabolism,” Akinsanya counsels. The expert says that those who suffer from constipation and other digestive problems should incorporate this wonderful fluid combination into their breakfast routine. According to Akinsanya, lemon juice works wonders on the digestive system, relieving people of symptoms ranging from heartburn, belching and bloating in a natural and cost-effective manner. He adds, “The citric acid in this fruit contains enzymes that stimulate the liver to process all foods and detoxify the body. “Lemon juice is a friendly and natural solvent that absolves uric acid that causes joint pain and inflammation of some organs,” he concludes.