Politics
AMORC Tasks INEC On Credible Polls
Ahead Of the 2019 General elections scheduled to kick off later this month, the Rosicrucian Order (AMORC) has charged the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that it conducts a free, fair and credible elections in the country.
The organisation stated that it was only through creditable and fair polls that men and women with proven integrity can have opportunity to lead the nation to an enviable height.
AMORC’s Grand Administrator/Director supreme Board, Frater (Dr.) Kenneth U. Idiodi gave the charge while fielding questions from journalists shortly after delivering a speech at the 43rd Eastern Regional Conclave held at Axari Hotel in Calabar.
Speaking on the theme, spirituality for Social Justice; Dr. idiodi urged the nation’s electoral umpire to ensure that it organizes a free, fair and creditable poll in a manner that only those wanted by the people can mount places of authority to lead Nigerians in the next dispensation.
“Rosicrucian is not against any religion,” he said and advised those with PVC to make themselves available for the exercise and ensure that candidates of their choices were elected into positions of authority.
The organization which advocated for a violence-free poll, urged Nigerians to go for candidate of their choice rather than voting in a wrong candidate due to monetary inducement.
He said that since 3371 years of the organization existence, members of AMORC had no business of deviating from the desires of their hearts simply because they are in need of a particular thing and urged members of the organization to always work for what they want in life. AMORC, he said, is about 3371years old,” whatever we want, and we create it through our small sphere.” “If you want a better future, you work for it now. If you want Nigeria to be a better place you work for it. We have the best human beings in Nigeria,” adding that” it was easy for any to achieve whatever he or she so desire in life”.
On the issue of the nation’s electoral process, Frater Idiodi said, “We focalize with all our minds that elections should be free and fair for better future of our people so that the world can be a better place as we were born”.
Earlier in his remarks, Host Grand Councilor for the organization, Frater (Arc.) Kofi Ekanem, stated that man owns nothing here on earth, adding that all material things are given to man freely by God, to this end, it was the obligation by man to share the material things with the rest of mankind.
He said that though man had always laid claim of being the sole owner of material things which God the creator of heaven and earth gave to him freely.
He urged the participants to shun ethnicity, religious intolerance and other social vices destroying the unity of the society and warned those refusing to heed to be ready to face the consequences when the time comes.
He called for strict adherence to core value, urging Nigerians to take their civic responsibility serious if they were serious with the business of building an egalitarian society for themselves and the generation unborn.
Ekanem who lamented over failure of societal values urged Nigerians to shun hypocrisy, but be focused on core societal values by doing things at the right time.
Frater (Ntufam) John O. Omori, Regional Monitor had earlier given an overview of the four-day-Conclave which ended last Sunday in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
Friday Nwagbara, Calabar
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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