Politics
Conference Harps On Opposition In Democracy
Last week, Government House was rife with rumours
of purported sack of Chief of Staff, Government House, Sir Tony Okocha. The rumour was however debunked on Sunday when Sir Okocha described it as the handiwork of mischief makers.
Debunking the rumour of his sack at a thanksgiving Service and reception in honour of Prof. Michael Emeji at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Diocese of Ikwerre, Okporowo-Ogbakiri, Sir Okocha urged the general public to disregard such statement as it was targetted at scoring cheap popularity, and calculated to whip up public sentiments against the Amaechi, led administration.
In the words of the Chief of Staff, “Those who peddle those rumours are living in a fool’s paradise and are doing that to score cheap popularity to whip up public sentiments against the Amaechi, led administration”.
Few days after the sack rumour was laid to rest, the Rivers State Government organized an International Democracy Conference tagged, “Democracy and Good Governance”, where former Premier of Ireland and Foreign Secretary of United Kingdom delivered papers.
While former British Prime Minister, Jack Straw spoke on “Democracy, Nationhood and Citizenship Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities in the Global Order”, former Prime Minister of Ireland, Mr John Bruton spoke on “The Dynamics of Contention within the Realities of State Building, Debating their Essence and Limitations”.
Both Bruton and Straw held that opposition was very crucial to the upliftment of democracy. Straw said “strong opponents keep you on your toes because the robustness of government is tested”.
Aside Bruton and Straw who spoke, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, also spoke with emphasis on the need for government to protect rights of citizens as provided by chapter Two of Nigerian Constitution. However, Governor Amaechi summed up the theme of the conference when he insisted that the people must rise up and demand accountability from their leaders.
Shortly after the conference on Tuesday, Governor Amaechi took his guests on projects tour. The tour came to a head on Wednesday when both Bruton and Straw commissioned Model Primary Health Centre and a school in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
On Thursday, in Government House, Governor Amaechi through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr George Feyii addressed protesting students under the banner of National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS).
Mr Feyii assured the angry students that even before the protest, the state government had already begun plans to pay, their bursary awards. He disclosed that based on available facts, the government will have to conduct a verification exercise.
Against this backdrop, he promised them that by first week of April, payment of their bursary arrears will commence, and urged them to remain peaceful by refusing to be used by politicians for selfish gains.
Governor Amaechi who is also chairman of the Nigeria Giovernor’s Forum departed the state on Thursday to attend the two-day retreat of the NGF in Lagos.
At the end of the retreat on Friday, Governor Amaechi read the communiqué deploring the anti-corruption crusade by the Federal Government, saying, “We believe the fight against corruption needs strong political will, moral leadership certainty of sanction and commitment of governors to succeed”.
On returning to the state on Saturday, the Rivers State government attended the 50th birthday celebration of the state Commissioner for Works, Chief Victor Giddom at Bera in Gokana Local Government Area.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
The commission announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
According to INEC, the decision followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the dedicated online portal.
“The submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the commission said.
In a a related development, INEC announced the suspension of PVC collection in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The commission said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards would have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
The electoral body explained that the deadline was necessary to enable it compile data on downloaded PVCs and produce final statistics on the total number of cards collected ahead of the election.
INEC said PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level and ran from August 1 to 7.
The commission also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of cards during attacks on the two collection centres.
It stressed that the stolen cards could not be used to vote.
INEC reassured Osun residents of its preparedness for the August 15 governorship election.
“The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
“INEC reassures the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August, 2026,” the statement said.
The commission said the deadline, initially set for Saturday, 8 August, has been extended to Tuesday, 11 August 2026, following appeals from political parties for more time.
INEC also announced that the window for voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to download their replacement cards will close at midnight on Sunday, 9 August.
The move is to enable the commission compile final PVC collection figures ahead of the 15 August Osun governorship election.
INEC said replacement downloadable PVCs have also been provided to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas after hoodlums carted away cards from two collection centres, stressing that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
The commission reaffirmed its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in Osun State.
Gov. Kefas made the remarks over the weekend at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, during the flag-off of the second phase of the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach in Taraba State, organised as part of activities marking Prof. Yilwatda’s 58th birthday.
The governor commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing to mark his birthday by providing medical care to people in need.
“What Professor Nentawe did is a powerful demonstration of what leadership should be,” Gov. Kefas said.
He assured that his administration would continue to support initiatives that complement government efforts to improve healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of residents.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Yilwatda called on Nigerian leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to touch the lives of the less privileged.
He said his decision to celebrate his 58th birthday in Taraba State was deliberate and informed by the needs of underserved communities, particularly people who face difficulties accessing healthcare because of distance and financial constraints.
According to him, the intervention followed a needs assessment and was extended across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said the exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital and covered the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
Prof. Yilwatda said the intervention provided medical services to thousands of beneficiaries, including people who required surgical procedures.
He said sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions placed Nigerians at the centre of development.
“Leadership is about service,” he said, urging political and public leaders to make giving back to society an important part of their responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving Nigeria and its people, saying his personal vision was to make every day of his life useful to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
The Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bordiya Buma, commended the initiative, saying it was consistent with the Renewed Hope agenda and efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
Dr Buma said the second phase followed the successful completion of the first phase, which was conducted simultaneously in six local government areas, with two LGAs selected from each of the three senatorial districts.
According to him, more than 10,000 patients were attended to during the first phase, including people with medical and surgical conditions.
He disclosed that 327 general surgeries, 71 eye surgeries and 575 dental procedures were carried out during the exercise.
The commissioner expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach and thanked Prof. Yilwatda for supporting the initiative and choosing Taraba State as a beneficiary.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing Taraba State to mark his 58th birthday through a medical outreach.
Prof. Pate said making healthcare the centrepiece of the birthday celebration was significant because health affects everyone.
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