#Edodecides: PDP claims early lead

The National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi hs declared that its candidate in the Edo State governorship election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was in early lead.
The Spokesman of the committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye in a statement expressed hope that the PDP would win the election and dislodge the APC in the state.
"Having received results from our agents at approximately 1800 out of the 2627 polling units spread across the 192 Wards in the 18 local government areas of Edo State, we can confirm that our party has attained a near unassailable lead in the Edo State gubernatorial election.
"The results so far confirm to us that our candidate has garnered approximately 55% of the total votes cast by voters. We have every reason to be confident that we will maintain this trend and coast home to victory.
"However, we are aware that members of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) led by Governor Adams Oshiomole, in collusion with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by Mrs. Amina Waziri, are relentless in their efforts to manipulate the results of this election.
"We are aware that Governor Oshiomole is currently (last night) moving from collation centre to collation centre with the objective of manipulating the results as much as possible. We will like to reiterate our earlier notes of warning. The Edo people, and our party, will resist any attempt to subvert the collective will of the people as expressed by their votes today.
"We urge our members and supporters in the state to continue keeping the faith by guarding their votes at the Ward Collation Centres and Local Government Collation Centres. Eternal vigilance is the price we all have to pay for victory," the PDP said

Edo Decide: more results coming from the field

Edo election: The two leading candidates in the Edo State governorship election, Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress, APC and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are racing neck and neck against the background of mixed fortunes for some of the state’s leading political leaders.
The biggest upset of the night was the struggle for dominance between the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and Dr. Idah Ize-Iyamu, wife of the PDP candidate at their PU001, Staff Training School, Benin. Odigie-Oyegun lost his unit by 69 votes to the 78 votes polled by the PDP.
In other early results, the APC candidate won his unit by 160 votes to the 77 votes scored by the PDP candidate. The PDP candidate, however, handsomely won his own unit (unit 26 Ward 5 in Orhionmwon local government area) by 369 votes to the 1 vote recorded for the APC candidate.
In other early results, the PDP chairman, Chief Dan Orbih won his unit by – to , Chief Mike Oghiadhome who served as Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan also won in his polling unit.
Some other results from other polling units:
collated results from over 104 polling units at the ongoing Edo governorship election allegedly see PDP in an early lead over the APC with 10,084 against 9167.
Below is the result:
Ward 7, Unit 16 APC – 121 PDP – 118
Oredo Ward 1, Unit 13 APC – 135 PDP – 131
Oredo Ward 2, Unit 3 APC – 62 PDP – 72
Owan Central Ward 10, Unit 7 APC – 75 PDP – 82
Owan West Ward 9, Unit 12 APC – 87 PDP – 122
Uhunmwode/02 PDP – 557 APC – 48 Invalid – 105 Egor 07/014 PDP – 125 APC – 116 Invalid – 21
Ikpoba Okha /35 PDP – 104 APC – 76 Invalid – 4 Oredo /12 PDP – 153 APC – 135
Ikpoba Okha Ward 3 , Unit 17 APC – 117 PDP – 17
Ovia North East Ward 12, Unit 11 APC – 19 PDP – 1935
Oredo 08/028 PDP – 85 APC – 90 Oredo 02/010 PDP – 132 APC – 106 Invalid – 20
Etsako Central 01/007 PDP – 60 APC – 41 Invalid – 8 Uhunmwode/001 PDP – 107 APC – 95 Invalid – 9
Orhionwon/007 PDP – 84 APC – 45 Invalid – 27 Owan East Eke Primary School 007/011 PDP – 120 APC – 107 Invalid – 229
Etsako Central Ward 1, Unit 7 APC – 41 PDP – 60
Esan Central, Ward 3, Unit 7: APC 65 PDP 74
Ikpoba-Okha Unit 16: APC 60 PDP 77
Akoko Edo, Ward 5, Unit 5: APC 58 PDP 46
Etsako West, Ward 11, Unit: APC 147 PDP 23
Orhionmwon, Ward 1, Unit 12: APC 119 PDP 70
Ewan Central, Ward 3, Unit 6: APC 76 PDP 65
Ikpoba-Okha, Unit 26: APC 64 PDP 75
Oredo, Ward 8, Unit 1: APC 174 PDP 56
Oredo, Ward 5, Unit 22: APC 76 PDP 41
Oredo LGA, Ward 12, Unit 2: APC 59 PDP 33
Esan West LGA, Ward 6, Unit 9: APC 111 PDP 118
Owan East, Ward 10, Unit 11: APC 107 PDP 120
Orhionmwon, Ward 5, unit 7: APC 84 PDP 27
Oredo LGA, Ward 7, Unit 3: APC 134 PDP 101
Ikpoba-Okha, Ward 3, Unit 3: APC 41 PDP 18
Owan West, Ward 2, Unit 6: APC 55 PDP 66
Esan Central, Ward 3, Unit 7: APC 65 PDP 95
Orhionmwon LGA, Igbanke West, Unit 12: APC 64 PDP 71
Owan LGA, Ward 3, Unit 5: APC 68 PDP 30
Oredo LGA, Ward 4, Unit 13 APC 42 PDP 69
Owan West, Ward 2Unit 12 APC 63 PDP 55
Owan East Warrake, Unit 1: APC 186 PDP 35
EGOR LGA, Ward 3, Unit 19 APC-117, KOWA-6, PDP-422, SDP-13, UPP-1
EGOR LGA, Ward 3,Unit 18 AA-23, APC-279, KOWA-17, PDP-288, SDP-21, UPP-0
EGOR Ward 3, Unit 17 AA-6 APC-67 KOWA-14 PDP-334 SDP-31 UPP-11
EGOR LGA, Ward 3,Unit 16 APC-179 KOWA-4 PDP-538 SDP-14 UPP-8.
Etsako Central, Ward 1, Unit 9: APC 42 PDP 42
Ovia North East, Ward 8, Unit 10: APC 57 PDP 50

Ambode, el-Rufai’s presence in Benin worrisome, says Ize-Iyamu

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the ongoing Edo State governorship election, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has expressed concerns about the presence of governors Akinwunmi Ambode and Nasir el-Rufai of Lagos and Kaduna states respectively, in the state.
Ize-Iyamu, who claimed that both governors were in the state, said their intentions could not be genuine.
He also accused the All Progressives Congress of using security operatives to intimidate his supporters.
He said, “You know that they have been using security agencies to harass our people, even till last night, trying to arrest them and detain them on very flimsy excuses.
“But we have also spoken to their superiors, who assured us that those who are doing so are doing so on their own and they will call them to order. For now, we are satisfied with that assurance.
“We are also aware that the governors of Lagos and Kaduna states, Ambode and el-Rufai, are also in Benin and this is worrisome because if the security agencies can declare restriction on movement even for those in the state, we are wondering why two governors not from Edo State will relocate to our state.
“We think that the reasons cannot be genuine; we have gone through the period of campaigning and expect that Edo people will be left alone to vote.”
Ize-Iyamu, however, expressed satisfaction with the voter turnout and the conduct of INEC officials in his polling unit.
He said, “The turnout is impressive. The security people and INEC officials are around. We are praying to God that what we are seeing here is what is also playing out (elsewhere).
“I am happy that, at least in this place, the card reader has worked. I hope it is also working in other places. So, from what I have seen here, I am impressed; even though because of network difficulties, I have not been able to find out what is happening elsewhere.
“Now that I have voted, I will try and phone other places to know what is happening.”
Our correspondent could not immediately confirm if both governors are actually in Benin as of the time of filing this report.

Atiku to Oyegun: You can’t break rules without consequences

Former Vice President and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Atiku Abubakar Wednesday waded into the altercation between the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and another leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement issued by his Media Office in Abuja, the former vice president said the leadership of the party cannot make rules only to discard it while the game is on.
He charged “the APC on the promotion of rule of law and due process in the conduct of its affairs noting that they are germane to the unity and stability of the party”.
According to him, “it is imperative for the national leadership of the party to live by the rules of internal democracy and respect for democratic consensus”, warning that “you cannot break your own rules without creating problems.”
Abubakar spoke in light of the face-off between Messrs Oyegun and Tinubu following the party’s decision to jettison the majority report of its Appeal Committee on the primary election in Ondo state which recommended a cancellation of the exercise that produced Mr Rotimi Akeredolu.
Retrace your steps
Abubakar also told Odigie-Oyegun to urgently retrace his steps in order to build confidence among aggrieved members.
He urged aggrieved members of the APC in the Ondo election “to exercise restraint in seeking redress to the crisis, while also urging the leadership of the party to retrace its steps and do the needful to restore confidence among the conflicting parties in the state for the overall benefit of the ruling party”.
He said the party is supposed to be an impartial entity in the arbitration of crisis among its members in any given election, contending that “since the APC found veritable reasons to review the outcome of the gubernatorial primary election it conducted in Ondo State, and was able to establish valid grounds to cancel that election and call for a fresh one, the decision to deviate from its own resolution is a negation of due process and an unfashionable hollow in democratic best practices.
“It was wrong for the APC to have set aside a resolution it had reached aimed at resolving the crisis in our party in Ondo State. It is a recipe for acrimony and division”, he stated.
The former Vice President also added that glossing over such a problem could only worsen the situation, advising the leadership of the party to do a soul-searching and address the issues at stake.
According to Atiku, the party leadership should always be guided by respect for the rules, fairness, equity, neutrality and respect for democratic consensus.
When contacted, an aide of the embattled chairman said the former vice president cannot exonerate himself of culpability in the emergence of Mr Akeredolu.
Though the aide pleaded for anonymity, he said, “we got reports that Atiku and some other party bigwigs actually bankrolled the Akeredolu campaign.
We are at a loss as to his recent romance with Tinubu but the president is the overall leader of the party and his decision on this matter is what would be our guiding principle especially because we do not have a functional Board of Trustees BOT in place as of now”.

Both APC and PDP candidates commend INEC, electorate

Mr Godwin Obaseki, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Wednesday’s governorship election in Edo, said he was satisfied with the conduct of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Obaseki told newsmen after voting in his Unit 19, Ward 4, Benin, at about 10.30 a.m. that he was particularly impressed with the prompt commencement of the exercise across the state and the peaceful conduct of voters.
He expressed hope that the peace, large turnout of the electorate and adequate security that had characterized the exercise so far, would be sustained to ensure that it ended peacefully.
According to him, we pray that there will be no crisis and spilling of blood, so that at the end of the day, it will end peacefully.
Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr Osaze Ize-Iyamu, commended INEC and the electorate for the peaceful conduct of the poll.
Ize-Iyamu, who voted at 9.55 a.m. at Ighododo Primary School unit of Ward 5, Orhiomwon Local Government Area, however, urged PDP’s supporters to be vigilant and cautious, and monitor the process adequately.
“The PDP will more vigilant in the sorting and counting of the ballots,” he said, adding, however, that so far, the exercise has been peaceful and I hope that it will be same across the state.
On his part, the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, voted at 11 a.m. at Iyobosa Primary School unit of Ward 7 in Orhiomwon Local Government Area.
After voting, he told newsmen that the electoral process had remarkably improved from what it used to be.
He expressed optimism that his party, APC, would win the election, adding that he was sure that the electoral process in Nigeria would improve to be like that of the U.S.

This is the best turnout so far in years – Oyegun

Chief John Oyegun, the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress(APC), has expressed satisfaction on INEC’s conduct of Edo governorship election.
Oyegun, who voted at Ward 2, Unit 2 in Oredo Local Government Area at 11: 45, said: “I am impressed with the conduct of the election so far.
“The atmosphere has been peaceful and the weather has been very friendly to us all. The voters have been wonderful in their conduct,’’ he said.
Oyegun also commended the large turnout of voters, saying: “ the turnout is wonderful and I am pleasantly surprised.’’
“This is the best turnout so far in years. This is the best so far because I have always voted here.
“I hope, and it’s presumed that something good is about to happen in the state.
“It is a sign that the people are beginning to express their democratic rights and that democracy has become totally widespread in the state.
“It’s peaceful so far because I have been watching events on TV.’’
He described the security arrangement as “lovely and wonderful”.
“As the National Chairman of my party, it was something that was of grave concern to us all.
“All the security agencies have given us iron clad assurance that there will not be a major incident,’’ he said.
On the allegation of money inducement in some centres, he responded: “I have not seen any here where I have just voted.’’

Chief Tony Anenih sue for peaceful election

Chief Tony Anenih, former Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Wednesday called for peace among the people of Edo as they participated in the gubernatorial election in the state.
Anenih made the call after casting his vote at Uzenema Primary School, Urue-Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area at about 8.20 a.m.
He said that there was need for the people to maintain peace during and after the poll “for the state to have full benefit of democracy’’.
The PDP chieftain expressed satisfaction with the timely arrival of electoral officials and materials as well as the peaceful conduct of the exercise in the area so far.
On security arrangement, the former minister of works said “as I said, it is too early to make a general statement”.
Meanwhile, Mr John Yakubu, deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in ongoing gubernatorial poll in Edo, has described the simultaneous accreditation and voting in the process as a perfect process.
“Rather than doing accreditation and coming back later to cast your vote, you do everything the same time and this is very good.
“I am alright with the whole process so far and I hope it continues that way, although I am hearing that there are pockets of violence in few areas around the senatorial district,” he said.
Yakubu voted at 10.05 a.m. I Unit 8, Ward 3, Esan North-East Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, Former minister of Works, Arc Mike Onolemenme who has voted in the ongoing governorship election in Edo state has said that the card readers malfunctioned, alleging that some of them could have been pre-programmed to malfunction.

Edo governorship election update

At Ward 6, Unit 1, Irrua, in Esan Central, the card reader is not functioning. Consequently, INEC officials resorted to manual accreditation of voters. Voters at Ward 4 Unit 8 in Uromi area of Edo State greeted the election day with massive turnout. Most polling stations some political party officials were seen bribing voters.The card reader failed to function at Ipkeshi, near Auchi, during the governorship election in Edo.
The device did not function in Ward 11 and 12 at Okhueromoh Primary School, Ipkeshi, when the INEC official attempted to accredit voters for the poll.
Two of the voters, Mr Agbada Jerry and Charles Monday, decried the development and said that it would delay the voting process.
The INEC Polling Officer, Mr Mubarak Jubril, said that the card readers could read and confirm the PVCs, but couldn’t read most fingers.
He said, “We have complained to INEC and we are directed to use the manual accreditation, and that is what we are using now.”
Similarly, the card reader failed at Ward 4, Unit 17, in Oredo Local Government Area, but the machine was replaced by INEC officials.
INEC Deputy Director of Publicity, Nick Dazang, said the decision to use Incident Form was right.
He said, “When the card reader reads the PVCs and unable to read the biometrics of the voters, they are directed to used the Incident Form and the voters register.”

Pastor stuck in shrine trying to destroy idols

A pastor, identified as Wale Fagbere, became motionless while trying to destroy a shrine in Ketu, a community in Ayetoro, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Our correspondent gathered that the pastor whose church could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report reportedly became motionless and speechless after he had allegedly destroyed some shrines in the town.
It was gathered that the cleric was reported to have told his congregation that he had a revelation to destroy all the shrines in Ketu community.
After being found transfixed in the shrine, residents of the area raised the alarm, following which custodians of the shrines came to the place.
The priests insisted that they had to perform some rites before the cleric could regain his sense.
The rites were performed following the intervention of Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba Abdulaziz Adelakun, who appealed to the priests to ‘release’ him.
The state acting Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, adding that the cleric might be charged for “sacrilege and malicious damage.”
He said, “The command got the report at its division in Ayetoro that one Evangelist Wale Fagbere went to Ketu to destroy traditional worshippers’ shrines. After the destruction, the man became motionless and could not talk.
“When the policemen visited the place, the traditionalists said the subject could not be taken away until some rites were performed. The victim was revived and handed over to his family for more spiritual cleansing.”

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu demands John Odigie-Oyegun resignation

All Progressives Congress, APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demanded the resignation of the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun who he claimed Sunday had derailed from the path of progressives.
In a stinking communiqué from his media office, Tinubu accused Oyegun of sabotaging the will of democracy in Ondo State by overriding the decision of the appeal panel that asked for a fresh governorship primary following investigations that showed that the delegates’ list used had been tampered with.
Tinubu in the communiqué further alleged that Oyegun’s action in allegedly subverting the will of the people was not of his doing, saying that for a man of the age of the national chairman to have done what he did that he must have been under the influence of a “powerful and sinister arm at work.”
Tinubu who said that the APC was now under threat of being suffocated by anti-democratic forces pretending to be progressives, said:
“The APC, a party born of the quest for democratic good governance, is under critical threat by those who managed to be in the party but never of it. From the party’s inception, the principles of democratic fairness and justice were to guide APC internal deliberations. Party founders realized that only by intramural fair dealing could the party remain faithful to the progressive ideals that we presented to the Nigerian electorate as our governing creed. If the party could not justly govern itself, it would find it difficult to establish and maintain just government throughout the nation.
“In essence, the party was the embodiment of a democratic promise made between its members as well as a democratic vow made to the public. Evidently, some errant members believe promises and vows are mere words to be easily spoken and more easily broken. Chairman John Oyegun has breached these good pledges in a most overt and brazen display. In doing so, Oyegun has dealt a heavy blow to the very party he professes to lead. It is an awful parent who suffocates his own child for the sake of a few naira. The party was supposed to buttress APC members elected to government at all levels. Because of Oyegun’s conduct of our affairs, the party is rapidly becoming an albatross to those it was meant to help.
“Oyegun’s comportment regarding the Ondo State primary will become the textbook definition of political treachery and malfeasance of the basest order. In early September, the state primary was held. A purported winner was named. Having faith in the ways of the party, Tinubu publicly accepted what he assumed to be a verdict honestly derived. As a democrat, one must face the possibility of defeat and accept such as outcome with as much grace as one would embrace victory. One of the few bright spots during the conduct of the primaries was Jigawa Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar. He chaired the primary convention with decorum and impartiality. He was unaware that a tampered list had been slipped into the process.
“Indeed within hours of the announcement, news began to filter in that gravely disturbed me. Credible allegations of fraud troubled the waters. The delegate list had been materially altered by someone in a strategic position to so do. The names of over 150 valid delegates were excised to make room for an equal number of impostors. This was not a clerical error. The alteration was wilfully executed that the primary would be directed toward a chosen end that bore nothing in common with the will of most state party members. A cunning few had tried to deceive the many into believing they were outnumbered.
“A conspiracy to steal the Ondo primary had been uncovered. Fortunately, the grand deception afoot had been unable to cover its tracks fast enough. Truth began to cry for justice.
“Several candidates filed petitions contesting the result. The party established an investigative board to review the evidence. In a two to one decision, the panel found the delegate roster had suffered tampering. The panel recommended that a new primary should be held using the valid delegate list. This recommendation was tabled before the National Working Committee (NWC).
“After many hours of deliberations spanning several days, a final vote was held by the NWC. Before hand, NWC members agreed that the decision of the majority would become the stance of the party. Such is the way of democracy. The NWC voted six against five to cancel the fraudulent results and hold an honest primary. For a moment, it seemed the party would restore its integrity by giving democracy a chance. However, those who sought to scam an entire state would not let the vote of 11 people spoil their enterprise.
“After the NWC vote, a noticeably agitated Chairman Oyegun proposed the NWC engage in prayer before concluding the meeting. Adhering to this chairman’s request, NWC members began to pray. Seeing that the others had taken his bait, Oyegun used the prayerful interlude to secretly excuse himself from the meeting. Contravening the NWC decision and in violation of all rules of fundamental decency, Oyegun decided to safeguard the fraud done in Ondo by perpetrating a greater fraud. Oyegun arrogated to himself the right to submit the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to INEC as the candidate of the party.
“Truth has finally come to light. There exists a regressive element in the party that cares nothing for the progressive ideas upon which this party was founded. They joined the APC because it was the best ride available at the time. Now they want to guide the party into the ditch. They want to turn the party into a soulless entity incapable of doing good, just like they are. When such a person tastes power, they shed all good restraint. They come to abuse the trust given them as if they are the owners of that trust and not its mere custodians. These people did little to build the party but now will do much to wreck it.
“Our party was to stand for change. Oyegun and his fellows seem to be on a different wave length. They are the cohort of Unchange. The APC wants to guide Nigeria into a better tomorrow. Oyegun and the cohort of unchange want to pull Nigeria back into the past where rigging and vote stealing were the old and new testaments of politics. They want the people to think that there is no alternative to their reactionary system of skewed politics and imperious government. Thus, they seek to turn the APC into a factory of the very political malpractices the people soundly rejected in the past election. To choke the APC in this manner is to kill the chance for progressive reform for the foreseeable future. Much more than the Ondo primary is at stake. Oyegun has revealed his team’s game plan: It is the destruction of progressive politics and governance on behalf of the people.
“As party chairman, Oyegun was supposed to protect our internal processes and be an impartial arbiter, a person in whom all had confidence. Instead, he donned the garment of a confident man, duping the NWC, the party, and INEC in one fell blow. He has robbed APC members in Ondo State of the chance to pick in a fair manner who they believe is the best candidate.
“As such, he has broken faith with the party and probably has broken a few laws. The consequences of what he has done are more expansive than a man of his scope can fathom,” Tinubu said as he said that Oyegun must have been under some major sinister influence as to allow what happened.
“With strong expectation, we await a response to Oyegun’s wrongdoing from those who clamored so long and loudly about Tinubu’s alleged role in the Ondo primary.
“Leading into the primary, a prominent lawyer from Ondo published lengthy missives alleging that Tinubu was a malicious hand intent on rigging the primary. His letters spoke of his great love for democracy and justice. Though Oyegun has assaulted democracy in a most public and vulgar way, this lawyer’s prolific pen will remain stilled. He dare not publish a word about this travesty. His silence will be sign for all who care to decipher its meaning.
“The plan was to point the accusing finger at Tinubu. With everyone focused on Tinubu, they would have distracted all attention from the heist they had set in motion. As fate would have it, the trickery they hoped to conduct in the shadows has come to light.
“Those who so actively attributed imaginary wrong to Tinubu now stand dumb and mute in the face of confirmed impropriety. They remain silent for reasons they cannot divulge. Oyegun and his ilk turn out to be gangsters adorned in the tunic of party authority.
“Oyegun has engaged in the strange math where five is greater than six. This smacks of how the PDP conducted its affairs and orchestrated its own downfall. Tinubu disparaged such malpractice when it was not in his party. Tinubu surely disowns it now that it has invaded the party he helped bring to fruition.
“Tinubu has consciously refused to hold any official position with the party to avoid the perception that he was trying to control all and sundry. Tinubu has even kept his peace for some time despite many things that happened within the party that were not quite right. He exercised this forbearance because the party is young. A collective endeavor cannot avoid the mistakes and errors of organizational newness and evolution.
“Yet, the wrongs Oyegun committed had nothing to do with newness or the mistakes occasioned by the path of reform. His actions are in the nature of the old wrongs that have afflicted our national politics much too long. If Oyegun wants to walk backward into the past, he has every right to it. However, he has no right to drag the party or any of us with him. Against our choosing.
“The informal title of national leader of the party was given to Tinubu at the onset which he accepted it as a sign from those who wished to recognize my contributions to the party’s formation. It is an honorific title which he has been proud to wear until today. I would rather not have any title yet reside in a party that honors democracy than hold a title in a party that says it honors me but that treats justice with indecency. I find greater honour and comfort where democracy and fairness are found and respected.
“Oyegun has done the irredeemable. His coup is an insult to party and to patriot, to reason and to the reform agenda of this government. To remain silent would be to admit the defeat of the reform and progressive change many have labored to bring forth. While the forces resistant to change and reform are strong, Tinubu dare not submit to them. Tinubu encourages all party members not to submit to them. If we acquiesce in this wrong, the one greater than this shall cascade upon us.
“Oyegun’s transgressions are a warning. He is but the mercenary of forces that seek to return the nation to the old ways. If they get away with this infraction, no telling what or whom they will undermine tomorrow. Much is at stake. On the chopping block, lies the future of the political party in which the majority of voters had placed their confidence. To rescue the party, Oyegun must go. He has shown that he and democratic fair play cannot exist in the same party at the same time. If Tinubu is to choose between John Oyegun and progress toward a better Nigeria, the choice has already been made. For those who care about the party, who care about Nigeria and its chance for a better tomorrow, now is the time to stand against this brewing evil before it grows to encompass all we have built and all we hold dear.”

Edo 2016: Govt. declares public holidays for governorship election

The Edo State Government on Saturday declared Sept.27 and Sept.28 as public holidays to enable electorate participate in the Sept 28 governorship election.
Gov. Adams Oshiomhole announced the reprieve at a grand reception organised by the organised labour union for him.
He said the holidays would enable workers travel to their places of registration and participate in the voting exercise on Wednesday.
On the support given to him by labour, the governor expressed delight in the constructive criticisms offered by the union in the last eight years, adding that they helped in shaping his policies.
“In spite of their contestation sometimes, both parties have always found a meeting point to bridge their differences,’’ he said.
He urged members of the union to extend same support to the APC Governorship Candidate by voting enmasse for him on Sept 28.
According to him, the APC governorship candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki has undergone tutelage in governance under the outgoing administration and therefore fit to rule.
He said there was the need to reciprocate the union gesture, adding that to do this, the union should ensure that Obaseki was returned as governor.
He also said the State Civil Service had been upgraded, adding that the migration to pension services was now smooth.
“ Retirees can now begin to access their pensions immediately they retired and there is no need for tranches again,’’ he said.
The governor, however, advised the APC governorship candidate not to abandon the workers if elected.

I did my best as governor of Edo State – Lucky Igbinedion

Chief Lucky Igbinedion is one of the pillars of the opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, and was a two-term governor of the state. In this interview with some select journalists, he sheds light on a number of issues from the postponement of the Edo State governorship election to the performance of his administration as governor.
How would you react to the postponement of the governorship election in the state?
I take INEC by its word. INEC has promised a free, fair and credible election and I don’t’ have any reason to doubt the Commission.
How prepared is your Party? There have been comments that you have not been campaigning with the party’s candidate?
I wonder why people would be reading meanings to my silence. I think I am a very dignified person in the sense that I have served the state as a local government chairman and as a two-term governor and our own candidate is matured enough. He does not need to be baby seated. He doesn’t need a feeding bottle. As far as I am concerned, our party is well grounded and our party chairman is very versatile and very capable. He has been doing very well. He has my full backing. He has my endorsement and support.
Are you still in PDP?
I have never left the PDP. That is one thing for sure. I have remained a staunch member of the PDP since inception. We were the founding members and I have never denied being a PDP member. It is true that I have not been active the way people expect me to be because I believe that after serving the state, it is better to take the back seat and I am not a political jobber.
I have other things to do. I have my business to run. I have my family life to live as well. I believe that once you have served the public, there will come a time when you will have to take the back seat and allow new hands to come on board.
The PDP candidate is matured. He is well grounded and he knows the state very well and has gone through the mill all through the local government to the state level. I am playing my role as a PDP chieftain. And you know that experience counts. From time to time I volunteer my wealth of experience. I speak with the party chairman and other party members. It is not about making noise.
Sir, ever since you made the comment that the next governor of the state will come from your political family, the state governor has seen this comment as an opportunity to renew his attack on your person and even your administration?
I don’t have the same background with the incumbent governor. We come from different backgrounds. I have never criticized this government and that is not my style. It is now time for the people of Edo State to really look inwards and search their souls and ask, under which administration have they lived a more comfortable, prosperous and secured life, a more people oriented life.
I leave the people to make that judgement. But him, he believes in listening to himself. I believe in watching and listening to other people rather than making unnecessary and vile, rude statements about other people. Without mincing words, the condemnation of the Igbinedion administration seems to be the greatest focus of the present government. Of course, what comes out of the mouth, it is like an egg, once it is broken, you cannot put it together again.
Can you tell us some of your achievements as governor?
Oh, several, several and that is why when I listen to some people ask what did the PDP achieve in the past 10 years, I just laugh because it is either the people that are talking conveniently forget the facts of where we were before 1999 when we took over or they are just deliberately propagating falsehood. This was a state that was purely known as a civil service state.
This is a state that we brought about industrialization, this is a state we revived the educational sector, this is a state we turned into a centre of sporting activities, this is a state where we inherited a wicked self-sustenance policy handed down to agencies and parastatals and we moved away from it. this is a state that workers and pensioners were being paid as at when due, this is state I left in 2007 without owing a single debt whether local or foreign.
This was a state that people were happy to wake up and go to work. When I came, there were no banks here except Union bank and First bank but with the enabling environment that I created, the security level that I created, various companies started coming in but because of the wickedness of some people the propaganda they decided to employ, they say no, PDP has not done anything and I challenge them that the PDP government did far better than many administrations before us and better than this administration by far. PDP did fantastically well.
Your administration was accused of laying off workers prematurely?
In any work environment, when you get to the retirement age you retire. When we came on board we discovered that our wage bill was over bloated and for one reason or the other we had to do some restructuring but we also employed many teachers. Like any organisation, companies retire and employ. The federal government retires and employs, so it is a continuous exercise but we were not owing anybody.
Sir, how do you feel knowing that the PDP candidate Pastor Ize-Iyamu left your party for the then ACN, later APC and back to PDP?
Like I said, he is above fifty and everybody has the right to associate with any political party and you know that our politics is very fluid. Our politics is not really based on ideologies as of today. People dump one party for the other for different reasons but for whatever decision someone takes there must be a reason.
Are you in support of his candidacy?
Hundred percent, I am hundred percent in support of Pastor Ize-Iyamu who is the candidate of my Party, the PDP.
Sir the issue of plea bargain you opted for how do you react to this?
It depends on what you mean by opting for plea bargain. You don’t know who initiated the plea bargain, whether it was me or the EFCC. I just felt I should move on with my life first and foremost. What happened had happened but I can tell you that I never stole Edo State money, I never mismanaged Edo State money. I was never charged for money laundering locally or internationally. As far I am concerned those talking are just talking out of ignorance or malice. Did we have the money to be stolen? We were receiving one of the lowest allocations in the federation. I can say categorically that my administration was one of the best and I impacted positively on the lives of our people.
Any regrets?
I have no regrets whatsoever. I did my best and my best benefited the people of the state.
Did you achieve all you set out to achieve as governor?
It is not possible to complete all you wanted to do, otherwise, America would have stopped working, and Britain would have stopped working. That is what I mean by continuum. When people believe they can just come and stop what you have been doing. If I say I did all I wanted to do, I would be lying to you. If any government says it has done everything it is lying. No government can do everything. You do your best with the resources at your disposal and I think we did our best with the resources available to us then.
The priorities at that time were different from the priorities of today. If I had not paid those pensioners, setting up the foundation for industrialization, created environment for security and peace, education, sports all that, they will not be talking about what they are talking today, the cosmetic projects that they are doing. The Ambrose Alli University was formerly known as Edo State University. I was the one that converted it from Edo State University to Ambrose Ali University. I renovated and renamed the Ogbe Stadium to Dr. S. O Ogbemudia Stadium. I did that because I believed in continuity.
There is no area my administration did not touch. When you invest in the people they will not be a burden. My administration did perfectly well in human capital development and the evidence is there for all to see.

N500M BRIBERY ALLEGATION: MTN OPENS UP

Allegations of an alleged bribe of N500 million to a key aide of President Muhammadu Buhari by telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria to reduce a fine slammed on it were refuted on Friday.
An online medium had alleged that certain unnamed persons showed President Buhari proofs that the aide got the bribe from MTN but that the president did nothing.
The online report had alleged that a top presidency official had collected N500 million as bribe from MTN to help the company mitigate the fine imposed by the Federal Government.
The fine was imposed in October 2015, over the inability of the operator to disconnect about 5.1 million subscribers it registered improperly on its network. The NCC had last year reduced the fine to N330 billion.
However, the company in a statement has said that it did not give bribe for the reduction of the N1.04 trillion fine slammed on the company for infraction.
A statement issued by Mr Funso Aina, MTN’s PR and Protocol Manager, quoted the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Mr Ferdi Moolman on Friday as saying that MTN’s attention had been drawn to an online report, alleging that a top official in the presidency took bribe from the company to get the Federal Government to reduce the fine.
“MTN Nigeria has no knowledge of this and the allegation is therefore denied.
“The MTN Nigeria fine was ultimately settled with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),” said.

Why we took up the cudgel for Mrs Jonathan – Reformed N-Delta Avengers

A group, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, has explained why it took up the case against former First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, by EFCC, saying it was because the Commission was clearly running a campaign of calumny against her.
In a statement, yesterday, the group’s spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte, said: “Nigerians and the international community would recall that, recently, we had accused certain high-profile politicians from the Niger Delta region – including former President Goodluck Jonathan – as sponsors or patrons of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).
“The controversy generated by the revelation was yet to abate before the major militant groups in the region, including the NDA unanimously agreed to ceasefire and recognize the Chief (Dr) Edwin Clark-led pan-Niger Delta Peace and Dialogue Group as the sole body to represent the region in the forthcoming dialogue with the Federal Government.
“Following the development, all stakeholders from the region were expected to close ranks and work for the peace and development of the region. And naturally, we changed our earlier disposition towards the former President,” it said.
The group asserted: “It is an incontrovertible fact that, by virtue of his current status as the only Nigerian of South-south extraction to have assumed the position of President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR is automatically, the political leader of the entire Niger Delta region. He therefore deserves our respect.”

IYC faults Buhari’s call on UN to negotiate Chibok girls freedom with Boko Haram

IJAW Youth Council, IYC, Friday, criticised President Muhammadu Buhari over his call on the United Nations to broker the release of the Chibok girls with Boko Haram terrorists.
Spokesperson of the council, Mr Eric Omare, in a statement, said: “Our attention has just been drawn to the call by President Buhari on the United Nations to mediate with Boko Haram terrorists in order to free the Chibok girls.”
“The IYC states that the Niger Delta situation calls for more urgent international intervention, rather than the senseless Boko Haram agitation.
“The IYC had expected President Buhari to make such a call on the United Nations in relation to finding a lasting solution to the recurrent Niger Delta agitation, especially now that stakeholders in the region no longer have confidence in the sincerity of government to resolve the issues,” he said.
His words: “The IYC, therefore, calls on President Buhari to use his stay in the United Nations conference to seek for international support towards the resolution of the Niger Delta agitation.” Peaceful and lasting solution to the Niger Delta situation demands the intervention of the international community,” the group added.

Ijaw youths protest against Patience Jonathan’s probe by EFCC

Angered by the probe of Dame Patience Jonathan’s accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, thousands of Ijaw youths on Friday stormed the Port Harcourt Zonal office of the commission to protest against the treatment meted out to the former First Lady.
A statement made available to Saturday Vanguard by the Spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, indicated that the protesters carrying placards with various inscriptions, such as “Patience is Innocent”, “How Many First Ladies have Been Tried in Nigeria,” “Mrs Patience Jonathan Deserves Respect, Stop Embarrassing Her,” “EFCC Stop Victimizing Niger Delta People,” “EFCC How many corrupt Nigerians have been prosecuted and jailed,” and so on were led by one Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, a self acclaimed ambassador.
Sukubo reportedly told EFCC officials that they were in the commission to protest what they considered as an unprecedented ill-treatment of a former First Lady of Nigeria.
Sukubo said, “We are here to express our unhappiness and submit our letter of protest over what we consider as ill-treatment of the former first Lady.
“We, as coalition of Niger Delta Civil Rights Organisatioin, concerned youths and Ijaw Nation World Wide, hereby, demand that the EFCC should stay off Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan, as there is no established legal or political precedent for what EFCC is currently doing to Mrs Patience Jonathan,” Sukubo said.
But the South South Zonal Head of the EFCC, Ishaq Salilu, calmed the protesters, saying that as a law-abiding agency of the government, it was merely doing its duties without any fear or favour.
Salilu told the protesters that the EFCC as a creation of law, discharges its responsibilities within the ambit of the law. “EFCC is a law-abiding organization, which discharges its duties not minding whose ox is gored. We do not shy away from our responsibilities. Where there is a case, we pursue it to logical conclusion, if there is no case, there is none, we move to other things. The motto of the Commission is “Nobody is Above the Law,” he said.
Ishaq commended the protesters for the peaceful manner they conducted themselves and assured them that their letter would be transmitted to the appropriate authorities.
Mrs. Jonathan recently instituted an action against the EFCC claiming that the money placed on “Post-No-Debit category” in the accounts of four companies currently being prosecuted on money laundering charge by the Commission, belong to her.

No amount of intimidation will stop me from campaigning for my husband – Mrs Ize Iyamu

Wife of the PDP governorship candidate in Edo State, Dr. Idia Ize-Iyamu has declared that no amount of intimidation or deliberate manipulation by the APC would deter her from complementing the vigorous campaigns of her husband towards the September 28 Edo state gubernatorial election.
She spoke while campaigning in some markets in Owan West and Uhunmwonde Local Government Areas in veiled reference to the attack on her convoy few days ago, saying that would only strengthen her and her enthusiastic followers.
She urged women to come out en masse to vote for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu who she stressed was full of passion for development in the state. She also charged Edo women to be fearless and focused as they cast their vote on election day.
Describing Edo women as the most hardworking and industrious in Nigeria from ancient time to modern times, Idia Ize-Iyamu advised them to summon enough courage to exercise their franchise
“Do not be afraid. By the grace of God, all would be well. Come out in your large numbers to vote. We women should not be reluctant or feel unsafe to exercise our rights”,she said.
Idia noted that Edo women, like their male counterparts, have been very bold and courageous in history. The PDP women campaign witnessed a colourful carnival procession marked with pomp and pageantry.

Court remands PDP chieftain, INEC officer in prison over alleged kidnapping

THE Magistrate Court in Fugar, Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State has remanded one Alhaji Nakowa Suleiman, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr Effong Akpan, an Electoral Officer attached to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to Auchi prison for alleged abduction of two Youth Corpers during the recent Voters Registration Exercise.
The duo were alleged to have abducted two Youth Corps members Matthew Omaji and Grace Adah, Confiscated the registration machine to the residence of the PDP leader where the Corpers were coerced to register people illegally.
The three count charge against the defendants read: “ that on the 25th of June, 2016, at Ofukpo, in the Fugar Magistrate District did abduct one Mathew Omaji and compelled him against his will to carry out unlawful activities and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 and punishable under section 3 (2) of the Edo state kidnapping prohibition law 2009 as amended in 2013.

Senators oppose Saraki on sale of national assets; seek true federalism

Senators yesterday opposed their President, Bukola Saraki, and kickedagainst the call for the sale of some national assets.
This came at the Senate yesterday set up a six man adhoc committee to review contributions of senators in the two-day debate on economic recession in the country and make recommendations that will be transmitted to the President.
The committee, which has Senator Abdullahi Yahaya, APC, Kebbi North, as chairman, also has as members Senator John Owan Enoh, PDP, CR Central, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, PDP Bayelsa East, Senator Barau Jibril, APC Kano Central, Senator Rafiu Ibrhim, APC Kwara South and Senator Mohammad Hassan, APC Yobe South.
Dr. Saraki had, Wednesday joined the call by some Nigerian elite for the Federal Government to sell some assets to raise funds to help the country out of recession.
Many of the senators who contributed as the debate on the recession in the country continued in the Senate, blamed the elite, including some lawmakers, for the economic problems of the nation.
Some called for the restructuring of Nigeria’s federalism, while others called for a review of some fiscal policies, including the Treasury Single Account, TSA.
Leading the debate, Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Na’Allah, called on the government to reconsider its policy on TSA and its policy on domiciliary accounts.
He admitted that though the intention for making the policies may have been genuine, they were unfortunately affecting the economy adversely.
He said that the TSA policy had stifled the banks and as such, money was no longer circulating in the economy through loans, mortgages and other means.
“The President has good intentions but we have a few people who are not thinking correctly.
“I recall that I complained when the CBN stopped operation of domiciliary accounts within and outside Nigeria.
“These two decisions must be revisited and redirected to ensure that there is a platform for redistribution of income. “The two critical decisions of fighting corruption should be revisited,” he said.
Senator Andy Ubah decried the call for sale of national assets, describing it as wrong.
“If we sell our assets now to recover from this recession, what would we sell in the future if we ever slip into another recession?
“We must seek an alternative way of recovering from this recession but sale of our assets is not the way out,” Mr. Ubah said.
Majority Whip, Olusola Adeyeye, insisted that the nation must be restructured along the lines of true federalism.
According to him, the states cannot keep coming to the Federal Government to collect money while ignoring available resources and potentials in their states.
“I want us to look at this current constitutional review, the various exclusive lists and the various concurrent lists; let us look where we have over-burdened the Federal Government.
“If we must revitalize the economy, we must have jobs and projects going in every local government, every federal constituency and every senatorial district of this country.
“Let us begin to implement the zonal intervention projects,” he said, adding that the bitter truth was that people in government also contributed to the problems.
“If we will save Nigeria we must reduce the cost of governance. Nigeria’s estacode is the highest in the world; we must slash it to 50 per cent.
“Obafemi Awolowo campaigned in 1978 that he was going to slash it and it has now grown into five times what it was in those days; we must slash it.
“When you go to our airports and you park your car, you pay N300; that is 75 cents, but in all modern economies you pay per hour.

Double celebration as Bayelsa First Lady delivered of quadruplets in US

After many years of marriage without a child, the wife of Bayelsa State Governor, Dr. (Mrs) Rachael Dickson has given birth to quadruplet in the United States of America (USA).
Vanguard gathered the quadruplets, a boy and three girls were delivered in the early hours of Friday in an disclosed hospital.
News of the delivery sparked celebration among staff of the Government House.
The birth of the quadruplets, came few hours after Governor Seriake Dickson secured victory at the Abuja Division of Appeal Court the over his rival, Timipre Sylva as winner of the last governorship election in the state, making it a double celebration for the first family.
A statement signed, Friday, by Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seriake Dickson, said the development contributed to the season of celebrations in the governor’s family.
The statement said: “The season of celebrations continues in the family of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State as his wife, the First Lady, Dr. Rachael Dickson just put to bed in the United States of America.Mother and children are doing well.”
He said “the blessing is particularly for the family and Bayelsans “because this bundle of joy is coming after many years of praying and waiting upon the Lord.”
Dickson in the statement was quoted thanking friends, film members and Bayelsans for their prayers and support and enjoined them to continue to pray for the family.

Police arrest APC members in Delta

ASABA—SOME members of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Delta State have been arrested by the Police, following a violent clash by supporters of the two factions of the party in the state.
The crisis rocking the party worsened on Tuesday, following a clash by supporters of the two factions at the party’s secretariat in Asaba, the state capital.
The party in the state had been engulfed in leadership crisis with a faction loyal to Olorogun O’Tega Emerhor and the other loyal to a Second Republic senator, Spanner Okpozo.
It will be recalled that the Senator Okpozo faction, under the aegis of Elders and Leaders of APC, had inaugurated a caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the party in the state after the State High Court sacked the Prophet Jones Erue-led executive that was elected at a congress held in the premises of a church in 2014, following a suit filed by Chief Adolor Okotie-Eboh.
We gathered that thugs armed with dangerous weapons including guns invaded the secretariat and allegedly molested members of the state disciplinary committee who were meeting to consider a report of anti-party activities against some members.
A dependable source who spoke to us , alleged that there was exchange of gunfire between thugs suspected to be loyal to both factions, adding that heavily armed policemen were immediately invited, who made some arrests.
Saying that those arrested were taken to the police headquarters for questioning, the source who pleaded anonymity, said that the policemen sealed up the secretariat to avoid further clashes.
The Olorogun Emerhor faction had since dismissed the setting up of the caretaker committee, insisting that Erhue remained the authentic chairman of the party, adding that they had appealed the judgment which sacked the Erue-led executive.
Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Celestina Kalu, said that the matter was still being investigated. As at press time, the party secretariat was still under lock and key.

Recession: Ananabra state governor Willie Obiano abolishes school levies, wheelbarrow tax, others

The Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, on Tuesday said he foresaw long suffering as a result of the recession in the country.
Consequently, he said he had abolished some levies and taxes in the state to cushion the effect of the economic downtown on the people.
This was contained in his special broadcast to the people of the state on Tuesday afternoon.
He said, “Following the formal announcement by the Federal Government that the nation’s economy has gone into a recession, I consider it my duty, as your governor, to distil the message of the economic situation of the country down to the grassroots.
“Following this development too, I am happy to announce to you that I have come up with a stimulus package that will ease the pain of the recession and help our dear state bounce back to prosperity.
“Brothers and sisters, our country’s painful journey into the current recession is fairly known to us.
“The events that triggered this decline are very well documented in the public domain.
“So, I will not go through the details of how we arrived where we are.
“I wish to assure you that after a careful study of the situation, I am more convinced now than ever before that with our fundamentals, our infinite capacity to come back from deficits and our implicit faith in God, our story should be different in Anambra State.”
He said the state’s intervention would come in four key areas.
In the area of tax relief programme, for example, he said, “Special Intervention Programmes (would be) for Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs and Large Enterprises.”
The governor said the objective of his Tax Relief Programme was to evaluate existing taxes, levies and fees in the state and introduce some waivers, and in some cases, scrap the collection of some illegal levies imposed on the people.
He said these would go a long way to cushion the impact of the recession on households in the state.
The text read in part, “I hereby suspend the sale of consolidated emblems in Anambra State.
 “I suspend the collection of Hawkers Permit on all streets in the state.
“I suspend the collection of Wheelbarrow Tax in all markets in the state.
“Lastly, I abolish the imposition of unapproved levies on students in public primary and secondary schools in the state.
“All these pronouncements shall take immediate effect.”
He said the state would do these as the governor’s role “is to envisage challenges and provide solutions that will ensure a speedy comeback from difficult situations that require the power and might of a state government.”
The governor said that his agricultural policy and various other intervention measures would sustain hope and life for his people in the prevailing hard economic situation .

President Buhari congratulates King Sunny Ade at 70

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated music legend, King Sunny Ade, on his 70 birthday, which is on Sept. 22.
Information on the felicitation is contained in a statement issued by Mr Femi Adesina, the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity in Abuja on Wednesday.
Adesina stated that “President Buhari joins friends, family and fans of the multi-talented instrumentalist, songwriter and dancer in celebrating his remarkable life.”
The President noted with delight that Sunny Ade had been graced with numerous awards for outstanding performances, including nominations for the Grammy.
Buhari added that the Septuagenarian had over the years brought pride to his country by mastering his art against all odds, taking the African musical genre to the global stage.
He, therefore, commended him for not only bringing joy to many hearts and homes through his music, but for serving as an inspiration and a mentor to upcoming artistes.
The President saluted “King Sunny Ade’s love for humanity, especially the less privileged, by setting up a foundation that caters for the needs of others.’’
He prayed that almighty God would grant “the versatile entertainer longer life, good health and more strength.”
Born on Sept. 22, 1946 in Osogbo, Sunday Adeniyi, the King of Juju and popularly called the minister of enjoyment, had been actively in music since 1960s.
His father was a Church organist, while his mother was a trader. Adé left grammar school in Ondo under the pretence of going to University of Lagos but there in Lagos, his mercurial musical career started.
Sunny Adé’s musical sound evolved from the early days. His career begun with Moses Olaiya’s Federal Rhythm Dandies, a highlife band, but he left to form a new band, The Green Spots in 1967.
Over the years, Sunny Adé’s band changed its name several times, first to African Beats and then to Golden Mercury, for various reasons ranging from changes in his music to business concerns.
In the 1970s and 1980s Adé embarked on a tour of America and Europe. His stage act was characterised by dexterous dancing steps and mastery of the guitar, which he played beautifully well to the admiration of the Americans and Europeans.
His music albums earned him many awards, including his first Grammy Award nomination in the folk/ethnic music category.

Lagos to deliver 456 new roads by 2019 – Ambode

THE Lagos State government has assured residents that at least 456 new inner city roads would be completed before the end of his administration in 2019.
It also urged royal fathers, traditional chiefs, Community Development Associations (CDAs) and other stakeholders in communities across the state to cultivate the habit of reporting suspicious movement around them on time to security agencies in order to nip in the bud any potential security threats in their neigbourhood.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, spoke through his representatives at different locations during the ongoing commissioning of 114 roads newly constructed in all the 20 Local Government Areas, LGA, and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in the state.
Ambode at the commissioning of Federal Low Cost Bypass in Ikorodu North LCDA assured that at least 456 inner city roads would have been commissioned before the end of his administration in 2019.
Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Community Affairs, Alhaji Tajudeen Quadri, Ambode said “another set of 114 roads have been identified and will be delivered next year.”
Also speaking through the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Lola Akande at the commissioning of some of the newly built roads in Egbe-Idimu LCDA, said there was great need for community leaders to assist security agencies to address the menace of cultism, kidnapping, miscreants, vandalism and hoodlums by providing timely information.
He said in another one year, projects that would impact the community and new sets of roads, two in each local government and local council development area will emerge.

Tiwa Savage reaffirms that her private life is no more up for grabs

Tiwa Savage has made bold to say that the media will henceforth never make a public show of her private life or dirty laundry anymore, as she will never make public her private life anymore. Such acts done in the past by the Mavin Queen has schooled her some more about life, so she seeks to learn from past mistakes and make the best of the future.
Recently, the Doro Queen reaffirmed in an interview with Fashion Bomb TV in New York that she will starve the itching ears of the public of tales about her private life. In her words; “I did speak with ELLE Magazine recently in South Africa, and I said I would never address anything to do with my private life again because I just believe it is something sacred and that is one lesson that I have learned.”
However, she succumbed to the pressure of speaking about her muse, which she said is her son. Again, in her words: “My son is literally…before I used to work hard but now there is a reason I want to live a legacy. I don’t want to be remembered as one of the biggest female artistes out of Africa. I just want to be remembered as one of the biggest artistes.”
Furthermore, she said; “I also want to be remembered as a very strong woman who inspired a lot of people regardless of the challenges we go through as women. You can still achieve a lot. It’s a long road and it is a slow race and it is definitely about pacing yourself and never ever giving up.”

Olamide set to release 6th studio album in December

The YBNL boss, Olamide, has been releasing albums consistently each year ever since his debut in 2011. He is obviously bent on maintaining his figures and keeping his momentum going. And one sure way to do that is to flood the market with an album full of hits on a yearly basis. While many insinuate that this every year album release has tampered with the quality of his work, the boss doesn’t seem to be minding such talks. As far as he is concerned, na yearly album sure pass.
The new album is slated to be released in December, as songs on the album have already been recorded. The album contains hits song “Who you epp” and other singles. The album’s official title, artwork, and tracklist are still pending release.
Fans have long expected the YBNL boss to do an international collaboration and expected that he would at least have one or two of that in his soon to be released 7th studio album. But the rapper clearly stated recently that he will never pay money to have an international collaboration. The rapper believes that if he works hard enough, coupled with the grace of God, his music attract deserved international recognition.

PDP factional leaders Makarfi, Sheriff signed MoU

Senators Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff Tuesday resolved to settle their differences and work for a united Peoples Democratic Party (PDP0 in the interest of the country and Nigerians.
The duo signed a Memoramdum of Understanding which was made public today, Wednesday, by the PDP on it twitter handle
The Signed MoU read thus
”At a meeting held this morning between the two of us His Excellency Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and His Excellency Senator Ahmed Makarafi CON, a holistic review of the state of affairs of our great party The PDP was deliberated upon.
The meeting was held in the convivial atmosphere of brotherhood and understanding in the best interest of our great Country Nigeria and the sustenance of our multi-party democracy.
In reviewing the crisis that has engulfed our party The PDP since the loss of THE 215 general election, after 16 years of uninterrupted leadership at the center, it became obvious to us as principal actors that it is time to heal the wound, and bring about sanity to our democratic process, bringing relief to the teeming supporters of our great party The PDP, and to the benefit of our Country Nigeria .
Base on the above, we have both agree to:
a) Consulted widely with all relevant organs of the party.
b) Set up a joint committee that will carry out a holistic reconciliation of all aggrieved segments of our party across the country and disapora.
c) Pursue the vision of the founding fathers of our great party The PDP.
Details of all the above will be made public soonest.
We therefor call on all party members to remain calm and refrain from any action and utterance that could further bring about divisions or disputes the party
Finally, this is without prejudice to all outstanding matters in court.”

REASONS TO EAT ONIONS DAILY

Ever wondered why onion is an ingredient for soups to enhance taste and flavour? What about onion for garnishing suya or boiled rice? While onions may bring a tear to the eye and delight to the taste buds, surprisingly, it plays an important role in maintaining good health because of its therapeutic purposes.
Rich in Vitamin C, sulphuric compounds, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals, an onion a day may help keep the doctor away. Its sulphur-containing compounds are responsible for its pungent odour.
Onions are healthy whether they’re raw or cooked, though raw onions have higher levels of organic sulphur compounds that provide many benefits.
In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) supports
the use of onions for the treatment of poor appetite and to prevent atherosclerosis. It also recognises onion extract providing relief in the treatment of coughs and colds, asthma and bronchitis.
Early American settlers used wild onions to treat colds, coughs, and asthma, and to repel insects. In Chinese medicine, onions have been used to treat angina, coughs, bacterial infections, and breathing problems.
Some health benefits of onions are as given below:
Heart health
Onions encourage a healthy heart in many ways, including lowering blood pressure and lowering heart attack risk. A study in 2007 indicated that Quercetin, the compound most commonly associated with onions, may reduce blood pressure by an average of five millimetres of mercury.
The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition found a daily 730 milligram supplement of Quercetin led to significant reductions in the blood pressure of 22 people with high blood pressure (hypertension).
Moreover, researchers suggested in a 2002 study in the journal, Thrombosis Research, that it is a natural blood thinner that can prevent blood platelets from aggregating. When platelets cluster, the risk for heart attack or stroke increases.
Cancer
High intake of garlic and onions was associated with significantly reduced risks of a wide-range of cancers. A large epidemiological study that involved almost 10,000 people with different types of cancers from Italy showed an inverse association between the frequency of use of allium vegetables like onion and the risk of several common cancers. This 2006 study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Also, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), which followed 521,457 subjects in 10 European countries, reported that an increase in the intake of onions by 10 grams per day was associated with a 30 per cent reduction in the risk of intestinal gastric cancer.
In another study, increased intakes of onions, researchers report in the British Journal of Nutrition, may reduce the risk of developing cancer of the colon by 50 per cent.
Lowering cholesterol
Consumption of garlic and onions may reduce the incidence of cholesterol gallstone formation by as much as 40 per cent. Consumption of a cholesterol-rich diet led to the formation of cholesterol gallstones (CGS), but supplementation of this diet with onion reduced the incidence of the gallstones, according to findings published online in the British Journal of Nutrition.
Protect against osteoarthritis
Human studies have shown that onion can help increase our bone density and may be of special benefit to women of menopausal age who are experiencing loss of bone density due to osteoarthritis.
A research from King’s College London, published in the BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, suggested a potential for using specific beneficial compounds found in onion to develop treatments for the condition.
Osteoarthritis is the most common disabling joint condition affecting elderly adults, and has a significant impact on adults of working age. The cause, however, remains unclear.
Digestion
The fibre in onions promotes good digestion and promotes good bacteria growth in the intestines. A 2005 study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that oligofructose a special type of soluble fibre, which promotes good bacteria growth in your intestines, may help prevent and treat types of diarrhoea.
Boost sexual performance
Fresh onion juice has aphrodisiac activity and may enhance male sexual libido and performance. Researchers at Jordan University of Science and Technology were searching for a natural way to help men with impotence problems to have sex. When they discovered that fresh onion juice increases testosterone concentrations in the blood, suggesting that onion may even help against impotence. Testosterone is the male sex hormone responsible for enhancing sexual libido and potency.
According to the researchers in the 2014 edition of the journal, Experimental Biology and Medicine, “The present study supports the hypothesis that Allium cepa has aphrodisiac activity and may enhance male sexual libido and performance”
Boost immunity against flu
Onions may boost the immune system and protect against flu. Researchers from the University of South Carolina and Clemson University report that stressful exercise increased the mice’s susceptibility to flu, but quercetin present in onion was found to negate these effects.
The findings published in the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, indicated that onion could help reduce illnesses in people undergoing strenuous extensive exercise, soldiers and others undergoing difficult training regimens, as well as people under psychological stress.
Diabetes control
Onion bulb extract could reduce high blood glucose and cholesterol levels. In a study presented at the Endocrine Society’s 97th annual meeting in San Diego, when the rats were given onion bulb extract – in combination with metformin, their blood glucose and cholesterol levels were significantly reduced.
Anthony Ojieh, lead investigator, said: “Onion is cheap and available and has been used as a nutritional supplement. It has the potential for use in treating patients with diabetes.
Also, Dr Jevas C. Ozougwu at the Physiology and Biomedical Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, in his assessment of onion’s benefit for diabetes said dietary supplementation of onions compounds in diabetics may help to reduce over dependence on drug.

BIAFRA: Rights group writes UN over alleged Buhari’s interference in Kanu’s case

The International Society for Civil Liberties and the rule of law, Intersociety has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to end what it termed his obvious meddlesomeness in the case of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu and the Judiciary and to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, to either prove the Federal Government’s allegation that Kanu committed treasonable felony or withdraw the bogus charges against him for want of evidence.
Intersociety also tasked Buhari to publicly renounce his abominable pronouncement made on December 30, 2015 during his maiden Presidential Chat; upon which the Judiciary was frightened that it became terrified to the extent of conducting its proceedings (i.e. Hon Justice John Tsoho in Nnamdi Kanu’s Case) according to the dictates or whims and caprices of the President.
In an open letter to the United Nations, the group contended that Buhari should steer clear of Kanu’s ongoing court case and allow a level playing ground for the accused and his accusers to prove their cases beyond all reasonable doubts, adding that constitutionalism should be strictly followed in the case, including the need for the proceedings or proposed trial to be conducted in the open court in accordance with Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended in 2011, as well as the ICCPR and the ACHPR Treaty Laws
In the letter, entitled: “ International Justice Appeal For Freedom Of Nnamdi Kanu (Leader Of Indigenous People Of Biafra-IPOB) And Other Victims Of The Regime’s Atrocities In Nigeria” , the group noted that Buhari should refrain from making further mockery of the rule of law and citizens’ constitutional liberties by arresting and clamping citizens into detention for over three months without trial; contrary to Section 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended in 2011.
Copied are the Secretary-General of UN; President of the UN General Assembly; President of the UN Security Council; The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; The United, UN Special Rapporteurs on: Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatments or Punishments, Truth, Justice & Reparation; Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions;
Honourable British Prime Minister, Distinguished British Parliamentarians and Distinguished European Union Leaders; President of the United States & Distinguished US Congressmen & women , Intersociety said Buhari must end his clamp down, indiscriminate arrest and long detention without trial of pro-Biafra activists across Nigeria or any part thereof, particularly members of IPOB and release all their members languishing in various DSS cells across the country without trial.
12 IPOB members arrested in Enugu
Meantime, no fewer than 12 suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra,IPOB, were last Monday arrested by operatives of Enugu Police Command. The suspects were nabbed inside the popular Ogbete Main Market, Enugu as they allegedly went into the market with public address system to tell people of the market not to come to market from yesterday.
Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ebere Amaraizu, Superintendent of Police confirmed the arrest, adding that they would be arraigned in court once investigation is concluded.
According to Amaraizu,”The IPOB was caught threatening that the market be shut from yesterday. We recovered from suspects 21 handsets of different types,various leaflets some of which read: IPOB for the betterment of your children and that of yourself; Please sit at home on 23/9/16; There will be no work, no school, no business, no market; Free Nnamdi Kanu, free Biafra; All hail Biafra .
“Also recovered were flags suspected to be that of the group with their insignia,public address systems, one wireless microphone. Suspects are helping the operatives in their investigations and will soon be charged to court.”
Backing IPOB over planned Sept. 23 sit-at-home protest
But yesterday, a chieftain of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ben Okoko said that the September 23, 2016 sit-at-home protest being proposed by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has a legal backing under the freedom of expression and right to peaceful assembly and association, as enshrined in Section 39 and 40 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria.
He, however, noted that IPOB and its proposed protest is not covered under the law if they resort to use of force to compel the masses to join in the protest or observe the sit-at-home order, against their wish.

Bello’s victory opens new vista in Kogi politics and Nigeria in general

Yesterday’s decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the election of Yahaya Bello as the governor of Kogi State was being received with mixed feelings. That was not surprising given the heightened expectations of the contending personalities. It was as such not surprising that in the victory that the governor urged his supporters against unbridled celebration.
The judgment, however, sets the state on an unprecedented threshold.
For one it puts his major rival for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Rep. James Faleke in a legal cum moral quandary.
Moral quandary
Faleke who is from the Kogi West Senatorial District had until last year played all his politics in Lagos State where he served as chairman of Ikeja Local Government Area for two terms, and subsequently moved on to represent the Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
After his nomination as running mate to Prince Abubakar Audu, Faleke had transferred his voting point from Ikeja, Lagos to Kogi State as part of the criteria to be fulfilled as a candidate in the election.
With his defeat in the court, political sources in Lokoja told Vanguard yesterday that Faleke was now contemplating his future political path. A former associate told Vanguard yesterday that Faleke would like to return to Lagos to pick up with his political career. However, the constraint would mean again transferring his voting point back to Lagos, unarguably raising a moral issue after transferring it to Kogi less than a year ago.
Even more, sources revealed that Governor Bello is also disposed towards wooing Faleke in a way to bring harmony into the party that became split after the primaries.
“The governor would want to give Faleke a strong role to play in the party and the affairs of the government,” a source close to the governor said yesterday. However, the feeling is that Faleke would want to return to Lagos.
It was, of course, an issue last year when he was chosen as the running mate to Prince Abubakar Audu, the deceased former governor who won the ticket of the party in the APC governorship primary. Faleke, generally believed to have been an acolyte of the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had demonstrated his loyalty to the party during the crisis in the House of Representatives when he sided with those in support of party supremacy in the choice of Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila; first as speaker and when it failed, as majority leader.
However, his fidelity to party supremacy was questioned after he was overlooked for Bello in the choice of a replacement for Audu after the latter died in the course of the election last November.
The choice of Bello was difficult for Faleke as he and many others at that time alleged that Bello had become indifferent to the party after he lost the primaries.
The affirmation of Bello as the governor of Kogi State is, however, a major development. He is not just the youngest man to rule the state in the Fourth Republic, his election is also a systemic political shift that has removed the levers of power from the dominant Igala population in the state to the Igbira ethnic group found in the Kogi Central Senatorial district, which ironically has the smallest population of all three senatorial districts.
It is also undoubtedly the end of the road for the major political powers that had dragged the case through the tribunal to the appeal court and subsequently to the Supreme Court.
Besides Faleke, it is also the end of the road for Former Governor Idris Wada who became governor fortuitously in 2008 after the earlier candidate of the party; Alhaji Jibrin Isah Echocho fell out of favour with the penultimate governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris.
Yesterday’s judgment puts the state on a threshold for the development that the state needs after many years of stunted growth. That is if the much promised savvy that the governor first came to power with is sustained and carried to completion.
On the other hand, the state could be headed towards crisis if ethnic champions decide to fragment the state along ethnic lines, given the ascent to power of the first non-Igala governor.
Bello was yesterday, however, looking beyond the issues with the hope of rebuilding the state after the judicial affirmation of his governorship.
Judicial affirmation
While endorsing the judgment as the hand of God in the affairs of the state, the governor through his chief press secretary, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo said: “The landmark judgment of the Supreme Court today, which affirmed the election of Governor Yahaya Bello is a watershed in the annals of electoral jurisprudence and constitutional law in the country. It was a long walk to victory which will reshape our constitution of the nation.
“Governor Yahaya Bello had remained humble and magnanimous in victory. He has called on those who contended with him to join him in building a greater Kogi State.
“The Governor has said the victory belongs to all Kogi people who believe in transforming Kogi State from a potentially great State to a really great State. He is committed to serving the people and making the State the centre of excellence and the cynosure of all eyes”.

Edo PDP Governoship candidate's wife convoy attacked in Oshiomole's domain.

THE convoy of Dr Idia Ize-Iyamu, the wife of the PDP governorship candidate was yesterday allegedly attacked in Iyamho, Estako West local government area of Edo State by thugs said to belong to the APC deputy governorship candidate, Philip Shuaibu.
Dr Idia Ize-Iyamu, however, escaped unhurt.
A statement in Benin yesterday by the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, said the incident happened at Jattu market when the PDP women were campaigning from shop to shop educating the people on the contents of the PDP manifesto, tagged SIMPLE AGENDA and how to vote right during the election.
He added that during the enlightenment campaign, the market women were heard chanting “PDP!” and “Change the Change!” and this was said to have infuriated the thugs allegedly led by Philip Shuaibu who destroyed several cars in Dr. Idia’s convoy.
This led to violence erupting in the market with market women burning any broom in sight, he added.
However, Philip Shaibu in swift reaction distanced himself from the issue, saying that he is not known to have history of violence rather ‘’the PDP factional governorship candidate, Ize Iyamu has a history of violence. He, Ize Iyamu, in 1984 was expelled for bathing a fellow student at the university of Benin with acid, as SSG under Lucky Igbinedion Administration political assassination was at its peak in Edo State and in 2015, same Ize Iyamu led thugs to unleash mayhem on the Edo State House of Assembly.’’
Shaibu said he and other APC faithful were in a road show tagged: “Sweep them away” when the mayhem unfolded as PDP thugs sighted APC supporters sweeping the Jattu – Auchi road in Jattu market area and started throwing stones.

why would Nigeria sell off NLNG that contributed $26bn to Nigeria economy?

Managing Director of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, NLNG, Mr. Tony Attah, has said the company in which Nigeria holds 49 per cent equity, has contributed $20 billion in revenue and $6 billion in taxes to the economy in the last five years.
Attah made the disclosure, yesterday when he visited the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Abuja.
He commended the minister for the role he had played in bringing positive change to Nigeria.
He said: “Minister, we appreciate your role in the Change Agenda, we appreciate your role in carrying the entire Nigeria along in terms of the Change Agenda through positive information because, as we say, an informed society is a society that is most likely to move along to a positive height,” he said.
Attah said the organization was equally playing a critical role in technology transfer, in collaboration with some universities, adding that it was also intensifying efforts to develop LPG to further diversify the energy source for the country.
On his part, the minister commended the NLNG for promoting creativity through the NLNG Literature prize and urged the organization to extend similar gesture to the Federal Government’s National Re-orientation Campaign, tagged ‘Change Begins with Me,” to be launched on Thursday.
He said: “Of all the good things you have done, the one that struck me most has been the Literary Prize. It speaks volumes for a company, which is involved in gas exploration, to realize that it must also institute a prize for the creativity industry. It is a realization that the single most important investment you can make is the investment in human mind.”

Dangote takes:
Nigeria and African richest business mogul, Aliko Dangote has urged the federal government to sell off the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas company, NLNG as well as other dormant but huge capital-generating sectors and invest the proceeds back into the economy to bring Nigeria out of its current recession before the end of fourt quarter.
In an interview with CNBC Africa, the billionaire said: “The only way for us to get out of this recession is to make sure we move into action quickly; action by diversifying the economy quickly.
“If I had challenges in my company, I would not hesitate to sell assets, to remain afloat, to get to the better times, because it doesn’t make any sense for me to keep any assets and then suffocate the whole organisation.
“What we need to do now in my own thinking… we have a lot of assets to sell. We can sell part of the joint venture; part of the shares. You know government normally owns 60 percent.
“We can sell in an open tender be it Chinese. We can change the term and make it an operating one, just like what we have in NLNG. We also have another asset I think we don’t really need.
“The African finance corporation; it can fetch them $800million easily. My own suggestion before was that they should even sell 100 percent of NLNG. I don’t think government should be in any business of investing in sectors of LNG.
“A company like that, with earnings of $1.5 billion on the average, they should get anywhere between $12 billion and $15 billion.”
Dangote suggested investing the proceeds back into the economy to boost development.
“You will not believe that the crisis that we have today, if we have $15 billion, adding it to our $25 billion, that is $40 billion reserves. That will give confidence, confidence will come back, then government will back it up with proper economic policy, where people can see the roadmap.
“Latest by fourth quarter we will be out of recession. It should be a partnership between government and private sector. We have all the answers, Nigeria falling into recession does not really scare me, if we take action.
The businessman said if the government boosts reserves as suggested, the naira may fall to 250 to the dollar and help the economy.
“Once we can sell assets, and put $15 billion together, you’d be very shocked at how much the dollar will actually drop, you can easily see 250. What is happening today is mere speculation.
“To currency, everybody will speculate, banks will speculate, companies will speculate, individuals will speculate, because if you have money you want to send in from abroad you will keep sending in trickles.
“If you know that CBN has $40 billion in reserves today, if you have $100,000, you might even sell it forward because you know that this rate is going to crash and you must quickly sell it.”

ORANGES HELP TO TACKLE OBESITY

Though the field of medicine continues to advance and branch out in so many ways, nutritionists and health experts continue to praise the benefits of some foods.
In fact, eating citrus fruits like oranges, grape fruits, lime and lemon has been shown to lower ischemic stroke risk, maintain blood pressure, and support heart health by preventing the harmful effects of obesity.
Citrus are rich in several antioxidants, which are chemical substances that may prevent a range of health concerns. Experts exploring the health benefits of citrus fruits found that it prevented the harmful effects of obesity in mice fed a Western high-fat diet.
In the study, the researchers treated 50 mice with flavanones, an antioxidant and chemical substance in oranges, lemons, and limes that has antioxidant properties, over a period of a month.
Mice fed this citrus extract had a reduced fat accumulation and damage in the liver by at least 50 per cent unlike compared with mice on the high-fat non-citrus extract diet.
The investigators presented the results of the study at the 252nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Obesity is a significant factor in increasing the risk of developing heart disease, liver disease, and type 2 diabetes. Consuming a diet high in fat can lead to a build up of fat in the human body. Fat cells produce excessive reactive oxygen species, which can damage cells.
While the body can fight off oxidative stress molecules with antioxidants, obese patients have enlarged fat cells, which can lead to higher levels of oxidative stress that overwhelms the body’s ability to counteract them.
According to Dr Thais B. Cesar, the study’s team lead, “Our studies did not show any weight loss due to the citrus flavanones. However, even without helping the mice lose weight, they made them healthier with lower oxidative stress, less liver damage, lower blood lipids and lower blood glucose.
“This study also suggests that consuming citrus fruits probably could have beneficial effects for people, who are not obese, but have diets rich in fats, putting them at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and abdominal obesity.”
Previously, new analysis from the Nurses’ Health Study has shown that high intake of flavanones, a subclass of flavonoids found in the greatest concentrations in oranges and grapefruit, is associated with a 19 per cent lower risk for ischemic stroke in women who drank one glass of freshly squeezed orange juice a day.
Some experts encourage people to eat up to two oranges per day for the fruit’s beneficial phytochemicals, flavanoids and vitamin C content. But the best way to consume oranges is in moderation, pairing them with other healthy fruits, vegetables, proteins and whole grains to ensure a balanced diet.
Also, experts have found that onions, green tea and olive leaf extract can fight obesity and its related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and fatty liver, even when a high-fat and high-carbohydrate diet is indulged in.
In the 2011 edition of Journal of Nutrition and the Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, they indicated that onions and olive leaf extract contain a flavonoid called rutin — also found in apples, tea and red wine — that reversed or prevented metabolic changes in rats fed the high-sugar, high-fat diet.
In 2013, scientists in a study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, also discovered that a component of grapefruit and other citrus fruits may successfully block the development of kidney cysts and possibly a candidate treatment for polycystic kidney disease.
Polycystic kidney disease is an inherited disorder that causes cysts to develop in the kidneys. The disease can lead to loss of kidney function, high blood pressure leading to heart attack and stroke, as well as brain aneurysms. Onset is most common between the ages of 30 and 60.

• Also, a bit of lemon and its peel may help to control diabetes by helping to improve insulin resistance. A key ingredient found in lemon peels is polyphenols, which plays a major role in minimising insulin resistance. An increase in insulin resistance leads to less responsiveness from the insulin hormone, resulting in uncontrolled levels of blood sugar.

AMAZING HEALTH BENEFITS OF MUSHROOMS

Although most people think of mushrooms as vegetables, they’re in fact a type of beneficial fungus. The term “mushroom” refers to any macrofungus with a distinctive fruiting body large enough to be seen with the naked eye and picked by hand. As of now, mushrooms constitute at least 14,000 different plant species — and perhaps way more. The number of mushroom species on the earth is estimated to be 140,000, which suggests that scientists only know about 10 percent of the possible species at this time.
Although various types of mushrooms differ in terms of their exact calorie and nutrient count, in general they’re very low in carbohydrates, calories, fat, sodium and sugar. Meanwhile, provide a high level of nutrients — especially antioxidants, energizing B vitamins, copper and selenium.
With so many species in existence, plus numerous compounds within each species that offer their own unique qualities, it’s hard to sum up the health benefits of mushroom nutrition and the perks one gets when one eats them regularly. But, here are some benefits common to most types of mushroom varieties:
Fight cancer
Known to be a natural cancer remedy and one of the best foods for increasing “natural killer cells” — the type of immune cells that seek out and destroy dangerous cancerous cells — mushrooms are praised as powerful anti-cancer foods. According to the medical journal 3 Biotech, mushrooms anti-cancer compounds play a crucial role as a reactive oxygen species inducer, mitotic kinase inhibitor, anti-mitotic, angiogenesis inhibitor and lead to apoptosis, and eventually checking cancer proliferation.
This means mushrooms can inhibit tumor formation, protect DNA from damage and stop cell mutation, all while protecting healthy cells and increasing the body’s ability to detoxify itself of dangerous substances.
Improve immunity and lower inflammation
According to a 2005 report published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, mushrooms contain “compounds and complex substances with antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antiallergic, immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic, hypoglycemic, and hepatoprotective activities.”
That may sound like a mouthful, but what it means is mushrooms can enhance almost every system in the body and protect a person from numerous diseases since they’re associated with lowered inflammation (which is really the root of most diseases). Mushrooms also help alkalize the body, which is associated with improved immunity. A balanced pH level is crucial to health because, as some experts say, “disease cannot grow in an alkaline environment.”
Mushrooms also have the natural ability to fight dangerous bacteria and viruses. In fact, mushrooms need to have strong antibacterial and antifungal compounds just to survive in their own natural environment, which is why it’s not surprising that these beneficial compounds can be isolated from many mushrooms and used to protect human cells.
Mushrooms are even shown to have special fighting abilities against deadly multi-resistant bacterial strains and microorganisms responsible for gut and skin problems. In fact, some substances present in common antibiotics given to people when they’re sick — including penicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline — are derived from mushroom fungal extracts.
Protect heart health
Eating more mushrooms is one way to lower cholesterol levels naturally. Many types of mushrooms help lower “bad” cholesterol and keep arteries from hardening, which are risk factors for heart disease.
Mushrooms have sterol compounds that interfere with the production of cholesterol in the liver, yet at the same time they can raise “good” cholesterol. They also contain potent phytonutrients that help keep cells from sticking to blood vessel walls and forming plague buildup, which maintains healthy blood pressure and improves circulation.
Support energy and improve brain function
Mushrooms are a great source of B vitamins, which help support adrenal function and turn nutrients from food into useable energy. B vitamin benefits include the ability to help with neurotransmitter function, which makes them stress-defying nutrients that help break through “brain fog,” prevent thyroid disorders and support a healthy metabolism.
Is chronic stress killing your quality of life? Certain types of mushrooms, especially reishi, are also considered adaptogens that lower cortisol, which means they can help your body to deal with stress and keep your mood more upbeat. Mushrooms can also lower inflammation that can trigger a decline in cognitive function, mood problems, low energy and age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Help with weight management
Studies find that regularly substituting mushrooms for meat might help you to lose weight, since mushrooms are a low-calorie, nutrient-dense food. Eating mushrooms several times per week is linked with a healthy body weight, reduced waist circumference and better overall health.
And while you’re working to improve your weight, mushroom nutrition benefits include the ability to protect your heart and vital organs from suffering the consequences of inflammation and imbalanced hormones.
Provide vitamin D
While we know that vitamin D is best obtained from sun exposure, certain kinds of mushrooms can also provide a decent source of this important vitamin. Vitamin D deficiency is a serious problem for many people and linked to everything from heart disease to depression.