Politics
Aguma’s Death: Jonathan, Saraki, Tambuwal Condole Wike
Last Week, Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt hosted three top personalities: former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki; and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal.
The top national figures who visited Wike on seperate days came to condole the Governor and people of the state over the death of the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Emmanuel Aguma (SAN).
Each of them extolled the stirling qualities of the late legal ICON, saying he contributed his best to the state and national development.
The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal who visited penultimate Sunday described Aguma as “a rare gem, excellent lawyer and good family man who left worthy legacies.
“He was a very vibrant, very intelligent legal huminary who not only served Rivers State but the Federation”, he said.
On Friday, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki who was accompanied by Senator Ben Murray Bruce, former chairman of PDP, Dr Kawu Baraje, Dr Doyin Kupe, and former Governor of Kogi State, Governor Captain Idris Wada, also condoled the Governor and people of the state.
Issues surrounding the late Attorney-General continued to dominate activities. On Wednesday, Governor Wike led members of the State Executive Council to the Port Harcourt Airport, Omagwa, to receive the remains of the Attorney General who died in a London Hospital.
The Governor has announced September 14 and 15, 2018 as burial days of the diseased.
On Thursday, Governor Wike urged all the Presidential aspirants of PDP to forge a common front to sack president Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 and end what he called the present suffering Nigerians were passing through in his administration.
He made the call when a presidential aspirant and former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, paid him a condolence visit over the death of Aguma.
Wike said: “What we are saying is that all of us must put our heads together to remove this government that does not mean well for Nigerians.”
Another major event in Brick House last week was the visit of Ambassador of Ireland to Nigeria, Sean Hoy and the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Ketil Karlson.
The ambassadors met with Governor Wike and condemned the violence that married the Phalg III constituency election.
While Hoy called on the Federal Government to take steps to ensure that elections are conducted within the rule of law, Karlson urged relevant authorities to check a repeat of the violence that married the phalga III constituency election.
The Irish ambassador who noted that they were in Rivers State to participate in a programme organised by INEC to improve youth participation in elections, urged the youth to register to exercise their right to vote.
Wike on Saturday announcement the release of N500 million to the management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni .
He made the announced at the convocation ceremony held in the school and reiterated the commitment of his administration to continue to expand both access and quality of education at tertiary level by injecting more resources for provision of necessary infrastructure.
At the event, the university’s main Library, named after Dame Patience Jonathan, was unveiled. There were also commissioning of Nyesom Ezenwo Wike Centre of Excellence among other projects.
Chris Oluoh
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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