why Okigwe should vote Uwajumogu for senate.

WHY OKIGWE SHOULD VOTE UWAJUMOGU FOR SENATE Nnamdi Ibe Some critics, either out of bias or ignorance, have been saying all sorts of negative things, as well as, write and castigate the All Progressive Congress APC and its candidate Rt. Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu without taking into cognizance what the forthcoming Okigwe senate election stands for and the position of the Igbo nation in the politics of Nigeria today. Representation of an interest is not about bias, hate, partisan sentiments or preference but purely about the interest and wellbeing of the society and the people, as well as, the political advantage and antecedent of the candidate in terms of service delivery and experience. In terms of who best suits the purpose, for the common interest of the masses. As a people, until we learn to separate sentiments from reality, Okigwe people and the Igbo nation shall continue to be wonderers and outsiders in the decision-making and sharing of resources of this nation. Let us not make any mistake about this, the political party, experience and the quality of our representatives determine how we are perceived, what we get and our position in the country. We do not expect to elect political party extremists, inexperienced secessionists and visionless bigmouths who oppose the ruling party, as representatives and hope to ever get results. For instance, the entire southeast geo-political zone voted for one political party in the 2015 senate elections and could not produce a senator from the ruling All Progressive Congress APC, that could occupy the already zoned position of the Senate President, yet we complain to the high heavens that we are being marginalized. Who actually is marginalizing Ndi Igbo.? The fundamental reasoning to this question is that Ndi Igbo has been the ones marginalizing themselves by not showing enough commitment to political development and education. Ndi Igbo has continued to vote their sentiments and individuals with low experience, no pedigree, questionable background and insignificant political values. These people end up in the senate being full time bench warmers, because they do not have the ranking or the political party advantage needed to effect change, important committees elude us. These class of representatives end up not proposing any bill or motion at all; they are just happy answering the name "senator" without any contribution to the plight of their people. When there are issues bothering on our development and general wellbeing, the very reason they were elected in the first place, they are lost more than the people that elected them. They are interested in pursuing their party agenda, thereby undermining the development chances of the Igbo nation. However, we the people of Okigwe zone have the opportunity to change the trend. Now is the time for us to elect a senator for Ndi Igbo who would not only work for us and do so with zeal and determination, but also work to end southeast marginalization. We need people who can hold constructive dialogues with their colleagues from other zones on general matters affecting Ndi Igbo and the nation. We need great political negotiators, persons with the capability to talk to other great Nigerians and be not intimidated by their pedigree. We need a senator with proven track record of delivery. We need a senator that can ginger other political office holders from our zone to be united on delicate and complex state matters. We need a senator that can motivate and support others when things do not go as expected. We need a senator that is willing to sacrifices his personal needs and comforts for the interest of the masses . We needs creative and visionary senator who is dynamic, brave and convincing. We need a senator who is in trend with current realities and has the capacity to build bridges of friendship and partnership across party lines and ethnic borders On 23rd of July, Okigwe voters will troop out in their numbers to perform a crucial civic duty. They will in exercise of the power vested on them by the country’s electoral law and constitution as amended, be voting this particular day to elect a Senator to represent them in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly, Abuja. This much talked about and highly anticipated election is a fallout of the judgement of the Election Petitions Tribunal and that of the Appeal Court, Owerri division, both of which nullified the March 28, 2015 Senate election in the zone. The landmark judgments of the Courts elicited so much jubilation and excitement in the land because of the widespread irregularities that marred the nullified contest. It is no more news that in a desperate attempt to win at all cost the then ruling party, the PDP, used all manipulative and coercive strategy at its disposal to brutally thwart the wishes of the people. Unfortunately few months after that barefaced, brazen daylight robbery the sword of justice descended mercilessly on them and returned the stolen mandate back to its genuine and original owners. Thus, return to the polling booths to give the people their legal and lawful right to freely and fairly, on a level playing field, elect a Senator of their choice. So far indication emanating from the area show that deciding on who to send to the red chamber of the NASS seem an already settled issue considering that of all those jostling for the coveted seat only one candidate possesses the right mix of intellect, experience and antecedent such a highly respected office demands. This candidate who stands shoulders and heads above his opponents is also been tipped because he is flying the flag of the party controlling power at both the state and federal level. Without doubt the man of the moment whom everybody is rooting to vote into office is Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, the candidate of the ruling All Progress APC. No doubt the people of Okigwe seem united in the decision to send this man to Abuja because he has all it takes to give them the voice, the visibility and above all bring home dividends of democracy exactly as he did when he was the Speaker of the State Assembly. It has been said and truthfully too, that only Rt. Hon. Uwajumogu can give the people the kind of qualitative, people oriented and democracy dividends driven representation they have been yearning for since 1999. The belief in several quarters is that since he was able to do it as a Speaker, meeting and even surpassing their expectations in Abuja is already a concluded matter. It is on record that as Speaker Hon. Uwajumogu, articulated and implemented pan Okigwe agenda. This blueprint which he evolved to leapfrog the zone made him see the entire Okigwe Zone as his constituency and he worked tirelessly toward transforming and developing it. The result of that agenda can be seen in all the nooks and crannies of Okigwe zone today. They include network of asphalted roads, new and standard stadium, construction of a cultural centre for Okigwe zone, citing of Malaysian market Obowo, construction of skill acquisition centres, general Hospitals, digging of boreholes, donation of transformers and electric cables, renovation of health centres, educational infrastructure like the modern school buildings in every ward and the icing on the cake, the Imo State College of Education, Ihitte Uboma, the Imo state polytechnic Umunakanu Ehime Mbano and a catholic university in Onuimo . He empowered hundreds of Okigwe sons, daughters, women and youths thus changing their lives positively. Okigwe should also vote Hon. Uwajumogu to get hooked to the national political grid. With President Mohammadu Buhari of APC the president of the country and Gov. Rochas Okorocha of APC governor of the state, voting Hon. Uwajumogu to form a trinity becomes a sine qua non for the zone. Hon Uwajumogu in Abuja would not only open doors of great opportunities for our people but would more importantly connect us to the national grid with its numerous inherent benefits. It is time to break away from the backwaters which voting a party not in power had confined Okigwe zone in the current dispensation and the only assured and credible way to do that is through an overwhelming endorsement of the aspiration of our son Rt Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu to represent Okigwe in the Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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A friend shared this in watsapp. One man's view from a northerner's perspective. Obviously not a Southern apologist but one perturbed by a seeming hijack of a northern mandate by nepotism. Buhari practises nepotism, says Junaid Mohammed - June 26, 2016 Muhammadu Buhari’s relatives are the ones dictating policy in Aso Rock for 170 million Nigerians, adding nepotism to the festering allegation of narrow mindedness levelled against the president, who critics say surrounds himself with Northerners in running national affairs. Junaid Mohammed, radical politician and Second Republic lawmaker, named at least seven relatives of the president who are the power behind the throne in the Villa – apart from the heads of all vital security agencies who are from the from the North. In a telephone interview with TheNiche from his base in Kano, Mohammed accused Buhari of giving key positions to his cousins, nephews, and in-laws, and is therefore guilty of the corruption he is trying to fight. Mohammed, a virulent critic of former President Goodluck Jonathan, and originally a supporter of Buhari, said nepotism compromises Buhari’s ability to rule the country well, fight corruption, and deal with rogue lawmakers who pose a threat to his administration. His words: “As far as I am concerned, nothing will come by way of contention with the National Assembly (NASS) and the executive branch, because both of them have a mindset which is completely antithetical to democracy. “Both the president, particularly his principal adviser, his nephew, one nonentity called Mamman Daura; then the Chief of Staff [Abba Kyari], who in fact was brought up by Mamman Daura; and the scoundrel who is the Secretary to the Government of Federation [Babachir David], including most of the incompetent ministers, are not cut out to work harmoniously in a political environment with the legislature. “On the legislative side, they want to continue business as usual; that will mean impunity, blackmail, open corruption to extort money from ministries, departments and agencies of federal and state governments, because they did not come into politics to serve. “They came to make money. That is the basic fact. You can see why it is impossible for anybody, no matter how reasonable, to work with the National Assembly, especially the Senate, because unless you are prepared to open up the national treasury and offer it to them, there is going to be no peace between the executive branch and them. “And of course, there is the unfortunate, additional bad luck of Buhari being surrounded by his own relations who are not politicians. They are not even members of the APC (All Progressives Congress) but dictate policy, especially Mamman Daura. So I can see no peace, I can see no cooperation, and God save Nigeria.” Buhari’s relatives calling shots in Aso Rock Mohammed said Buhari must apply the law equitably and justly in his fight against corruption and insurgents such as Boko Haram and Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). “He has to do that, and listen more to Nigerians, and not this arrogant posture, and the crooks he appointed into cabinet. “But unfortunately, for the country and for Buhari’s legacy himself, he has packed the government, and especially the Presidency, which is really the centre of power, and made it top heavy with his own relations. “There are many people who are his own cousins in the Presidency. In my own understanding of history and politics, this is what you call nepotism. And if you are against corruption, you cannot be nepotistic. “So it is really a contradiction for Buhari to have, for example a nephew of his, the son of his elder sister as the Minister of Water Resources [Hadi Sirika]. “He has another niece of his, the elder sister of [Sirika], who is now a national commissioner in the INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission), Amina Zakari. “They are trying to bury their tracks. But Buhari nominated her even before he became president when Jonathan asked him to nominate somebody to represent the North West (in INEC) and he chose that woman. “And then this nonentity, Mamman Daura, virtually runs the government. He has a veto power. There have been instances when Buhari gave written approval for things to be done, and that man went and stymied, threw the paper away. “He has become such a tyrant in the Presidency. He is a nephew to Buhari. His father is the elder brother of Buhari, even though the (age) difference between them is about three years, his father is an elder brother to Buhari and they grew up together. “[Abba Kyari] was brought up by Mamman Daura. His father left him with Mamman Daura to go to Borno, his original state where he was a village head. “And for all intents and purposes, he is a son of Mamman Daura. He is now the chief of staff to Buhari. His name is Abba Kyari. “Then [Kabir Daura] the personal assistant to Buhari himself, is the son of Mamman Daura. “And the girl [Aisha Abubakar] who was picked out of nowhere from Sokoto. She is not a member of the APC. She has nothing to do with anybody. “She was picked and made a minister by Mamman Daura and Buhari because her mother is the younger sister of Mamman Daura’s wife. “And then the ADC (Aide de Camp) to Buhari is married to the granddaughter of Buhari’s elder sister. His name is Colonel Lawan Abubakar. “Now with this bloody mess and this disarray and terrible scandal, how can Buhari hope to keep the country in check, and fight corruption and the terrorists? “It can’t be done; because to fight corruption, you must be above board. You must be absolutely in the clear. You don’t go underground to appoint your nephews and say you are being smart. He is just being smart by half. “These are the core problems of Buhari and not the National Assembly. The National Assembly can be dealt with if he is absolutely above board, and if they know they have nothing on him or his nephews, cousins, and many of his relations who are now institutionalised in the government and in the most important part of government, the Presidency. “And that explains some of the statements [former President Olusegun] Obasanjo has been making, metaphorical statements. “He said corruption always begins in the Presidency. He was referring to Buhari’s presidency. “Because when Obasanjo was in power himself and Atiku (Abubakar), they were accused of being corrupt and the world media said corruption always began in the presidency. So nobody should fool us. Alleged sleaze in Buhari’s kitchen cabinet Mohammed stressed that Buhari is not corrupt but many of his relations are suspects in corruption scandals. “Only four days ago (June 20), Sahara Reporters – and it has not been denied – said a company called Sahara Energy is lifting crude oil in the name of both Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari. “What is interesting about the company is that it used to be owned by the boyfriends of Diezani [Alison-Maduekwe, former petroleum minister] and she used to give them very generous crude oil lifting contracts. “Sadly, in this government, which is supposed to be anti anything that Diezani stands for, we have Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari being mentioned by an internet newspaper as using the same company in lifting crude oil. “Now the question is who is fooling who? Are we being told that Diezani’s former boyfriends, Omokore and Aluko, have moved on, and in their place is Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari? What is happening? Mohammed also wondered why Buhari despite the corruption scandal of the last administration, allowed Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefile, who was a member of the last administration, to remain in office. “And throughout this serious scandals of corruption, the source of the monetary scandal has been only two places. “One is the Central Bank because it was from the Central Bank the money was being taken either to the office of the National Security Adviser [Sambo Dasuki] or to PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) headquarters or to certain individuals. “But it was always from the Central Bank. “Buhari himself said at the beginning of his term that he had evidence and knows there was a time when [Emefiele] picked a piece of paper and wrote and instructed that N14 billion should be withdrawn from the Central Bank, and the N14 billion was withdrawn. “Yet that man, under Buhari is still the governor of the Central Bank. Buhari has not sacked him, and Buhari is now more than one year in office. The question is that who is the power behind the governor of the Central Bank? “The other source of money is the money from the NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) because the NNPC has several accounts, most of them in foreign currencies: dollars, euros, yuan, pounds sterling. “After Diezani left, I don’t know on whose advice Buhari picked some innocuous, incompetent, irresponsible Igbo man from Delta State [Ibe Kachikwu] and appointed him minister of state for petroleum. But in actual fact, he runs the ministry on day-to-day basis. “In addition, this man was also appointed by the same Buhari, who is supposed to know the industry well, as the managing director of the NNPC. “And because Nigerians don’t know or don’t care to know or maybe they are not interested, the position of the MD of the NNPC is a civil service appointment for technocrats and what have you. “But a ministerial appointment, whether a senior or junior minister, is a political appointment. “How Buhari decided in his arrogance to combine the job of the MD and the minister in one man whom nobody has ever heard of and gave him those positions, is a mystery to us. Who again is the power behind this man? “To add insult to injury, the Igbo now started shouting that they have not been given what they call lucrative appointments. “They have the Central Bank, where most of the money come from, they have the minister of petroleum, and then the MD of the NNPC. “They have their normal slots of ministerial appointments. And they are still shouting that they have not been given lucrative appointments. “And Buhari is quiet, apparently he is under pressure from some people, particularly the Mamman Dauras and some of the rogues and scoundrels who are always around whenever somebody is in government. Now this is the tragedy of Nigeria today. “Buhari is performing marginally in the fight against terrorism, particularly Boko Haram terrorism. He is doing nothing, in fact what he is doing in the South South is appeasement, open and shameful appeasement in the Niger Delta. “It shows that even among Nigerians, some are more equal than others, according to Buhari’s government. Abba Kyari sits on Magu’s confirmation letter Mohammed said although Buhari has been making progress in the fight against corruption, the credit for that effort goes to acting EFCC Chairman, Mustapha Magu, and not really the presidency. He was appointed on November 9, 2015 and has still not been confirmed. “These are the boys [EFCC personnel] who are doing the job and they are doing it very well. “In fact they are doing it so well that Mamman Daura, Abba Kyari and Babachir David and some other people around Buhari are determined to get rid of Mustapha Magu because he took on this mysterious Sahara Energy Oil Company and froze the account. “The directors of the company include Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari. That is why they are now after the EFCC, particularly the chairman. “Magu has been on acting appointment since Buhari came. Buhari has for months given approval for his situation to be regularised to be made permanent chairman. Abba Kyari has been sitting on the paper for over three months. “Buhari cannot tell him to submit the paper. So who is ruling us? Mohammed argued that in a democracy, the likes of Mamman Daura and Abba Kyari should not be given the right to take decision. “They have no mandate. None of them has ever won an election in his life. I knew in 1979 when we were going to the National Assembly, Mamman Daura wanted to be a senator for the area east of Katsina which include Daura. “Because Daura itself is too small a village and too small a district to provide a senator, they had to cut a portion of eastern Katsina to merge with it. “The people of Katsina said ‘we understand your situation. You are minority in Katsina and the old Kaduna State. We would vote for you en masse, but don’t bring Mamman Daura. ‘“Anybody in the whole of the area, yes, but not Mamman Daura. We don’t want any member of the Kaduna Mafia in the National Assembly or in any forum in Nigeria to represent us.’ “And that was how Mamman Daura was thrown out and a friend of mine called Abba Ali became the senator from that area. “Now this is the same Mamman Daura who is exercising so much power simply because his uncle Buhari is the president. “Nigerians should start asking the correct questions instead of messing themselves up using tribalism and religion and other nonsense.” Bu[truncated by WhatsApp]ي

FEMALE CHILD IN IGBO LAND CAN NOW INHERIT HER DECEASED FATHER'S ESTATE.

Trending On Human Rights:  ‎ Nigeria's Supreme Court Upholds Right of Female Child to Inherit Properties in Igboland... ‎ The Supreme Court has voided the Igbo law and custom, which forbids a female from inheriting her late father’s estate, on the grounds that it is discriminatory and conflicts with the provision of the constitution. ‎ The court held that the practice conflicted with section 42 (1)(a) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution.  ‎ The judgment was on the appeal marked: SC.224/2004 filed by Mrs. Lois Chituru Ukeje  (wife of the Late Lazarus Ogbonna Ukeje) and their son, Enyinnaya Lazarus Ukeje against Mrs. Gladys Ada Ukeje (the deceased’s daughter). ‎ Gladys had sued the deceased’s wife and son before the Lagos High Court, claiming to be one of the deceased’s children and sought to be included among those to administer their deceased’s father’s estate. ‎ The trial court found that she was a daughter to the deceased and that she was qualified to benefit from the estate of their father who died intestate in Lagos in1981. ‎ The Court of Appeal, Lagos to which Mrs. Lois Ukeje and Enyinnaya Ukeje appealed, upheld the decision of the trial court, prompting them to appeal to the Supreme Court. ‎ In its judgment last Friday July 1, 2016, the Supreme Court held that the Court of Appeal, Lagos was right to have voided the Igbo’s native law and custom that disinherits female children. ‎ Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, who read the lead judgment, held that “no matter the circumstances of the birth of a female child, such a child is entitled to an inheritance from her later father’s estate. ‎ “Consequently, the Igbo customary law, which disentitles a female child from partaking in the sharing of her deceased father’s estate is a breach of Section 42(1) and (2) of the Constitution, a fundamental rights provision guaranteed to every Nigerian. ‎ “The said discriminatory Customary Law is void as it conflicts with Section 42(1) and (2) of the Constitution. In the light of all that I have been saying, the appeal is dismissed. In the spirit of reconciliation, parties to bear their own costs,” Justice Rhodes-Vivour said. ‎ Justices Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, Kumai Bayang Aka’ahs and  John Inyang Okoro, who were part of the panel that heard the appeal, agreed with the lead judgment.‎ ‎

What happened in Masaka today

https://mobile.facebook.com/video_redirect/?src=https%3A%2F%2Fz-1-video-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fv%2Ft42.1790-2%2F13588550_1157384454283497_950076822_n.mp4%3Fefg%3DeyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InN2ZV9zZCJ9%26_nc_eui%3DcpE1UJN-7ssgupp-FdsQQjeG7CE%26oh%3Dd618be864d389872facf7a240950a97a%26oe%3D5778F6BD&source=misc&id=247281578991106&__tn__=F

food for thought

WRONG THINGS WE SAY TO PEOPLE...
#“You never marry? Wetin you dey wait for?” and “when will you call us to eat rice” are just plain rude questions and again none of your business. Do people marry themselves? Is it by force to marry? Do not offer dating advice or tell them they are picky or do not pray hard enough. Because you crawled into a compost pile and selected ‘Baba Ibeji’ does not mean you are now a ‘how to find a spouse’ hexpat… hunless you want to propose do not probe people to know why they are single. If you want to eat rice, cook it.
#“You still dey do fine girl and fine boy, you no wan born.” This is one of the worst things you can say to a couple with no children. Chances are they are probably trying and nothing has happened yet. Why increase their anxiety? Do you have any plans to assist them financially when they do have kids? Do you know how many women you have sent to tears with this stupid question? A woman saw it fit to ask another woman without children ‘what she was waiting for to have children’, this woman had had it up to here with these veiled nosiness that she retorted “I am waiting for your husband to come and have sex with me so I can conceive” and then she stormed away. I think she deserves a medal for that clap back. It is not ok to argue with people on the number of children they should have. “Ah ah! Only two girls? You need to try for a boy.” #“God forbid don’t say that you want only one child.” Please MIND YOUR OWN CHILDREN.
If you do know a couple with fertility issues, unless they have asked you for advice, please do not offer any. Especially if you did not have fertility issues at any point in your life. Do not suggest herbs, men of God or hospitals unless they come to you. Do not ask them “How far?” or starting lambasting them with prayers. Be a quiet praying distant support till you are drawn in.
If anyone tells you they are trying to lose weight, be sensitive. Do not say things like “This one you are disturbing yourself will not work o.” or “You have not lost any weight today.” Or “It is like you are putting it back on.” Or “Don’t lose more than this o, you will not be fine again. If you cannot encourage by saying positive things then don’t say anything.
Do not ever say “Why is this baby so small? Kai, he is small for his age o. Is he eating? Give him Ogi and fertiliser…” to a mother. I tell you that she knows this already. Most likely, you will send her to the hospital extremely worried. The parents may be battling a condition with the child they do not want to disclose. They may even be on top of the situation with medication and other things. Do not push them over the edge. And seriously folks, are we all supposed to be the same size? Unsolicited parenting advice and criticism from strangers is annoying. “Why is she still wearing pampers and using a pacifier?” “Why are you still backing this old man?” “Why are you using oyinbo carrier and not putting her on the back the African way?” Please stop this!
Never EVER say “Your husband is finer than you.” So what if he is? Of what use is that statement? So what do you want her to do? Have plastic surgery? Divorce him and stay alone with her ugliness? Hand him over to you that deserves a handsome husband?
Do not walk up to anyone you have profiled and begin to sell herbal weight loss concoctions to her/him. This has happened to me several times. Someone randomly approached me to sell tummy blasting herbs to me. I told him I was able to afford to eat chicken everyday. And I love showing my ability to eat. Stop disturbing we fat people. If we want to lose weight, we know where to go. Till then, abegi, leave us alone.
Dear Nigerians, support the bereaved with mostly your silence. There is no need for so many words. Do not accusingly say “I called you and you did not pick up” to a bereaved person. The person might have been in a fetal position in the corner of his room crying. Do not say “Hard Luck”, what is that even supposed to mean. Do not try to rationalize it or explain death. You are as bewildered as the bereaved, don’t assume some false superior knowledge.
If you suspect that a person has left his/her marriage. Resist every temptation to ask. If you do not know for sure, you are definitely not part of their inner circle. Pacify your inner gossip with Linda Ikeji or something. And if you do know that they are divorced or separated, do not begin to blame anyone.
Why on earth would anyone look at a child and begin to declare “He does not look like his Papa at all!!” kPele Mr DNA! We can hear the accusations of infidelity as loudly as you intended us to hear. Of course, in your village, children are only allowed to look like their fathers.
It is not ok to visit a couple in THEIR home and begin to suggest how they should live. “Ah Ah, na daddy dey wash plates? Biko don’t turn my brother to woman o.” “Your wife goes to a different church? Hmm it is not done like that o.” “Why are you allowing them to drink coke? It is not good.” If you have ever said anything like this, you are possessed with the ‘scatter home’ demon. See a pastor.
Have you ever seen an overwhelmed mother of toddlers trying her best to manage her children in public and people still feel the need to say “Madam, control your children!”. How callous are you? If all you need to keep your kids well behaved is a push on the button of the remote control you carry, then please go ahead and berate her for forgetting hers at home.
“You are not married or have any children, what are you doing with money?” best answer i can come up with "im trying to stash it up to the ceiling and set it ablaze". I could go on all day but the bottom line is, blurting out the first thing that floats in your brain is what children do. Use a filter. And if you do not have one, then keep quiet.

YAMA FOR GENERAL SECRETARY

Vote Yama for Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) General Secretary, he has being tested and trusted