Politics
PDP Decampees, Mere Political Neophytes -Wike
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has described two former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, Dr John Bazia and Michael West, who recently decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, as political neophytes, with slippery characters.
He said the two men, who served as commissioners in his cabinet during his first tenure, became disgruntled because he did not retain them.
The governor while speaking on a live television programme in Port Harcourt, last Friday, said the decision of Bazia and West to decamp to the APC was of no political consequence because they were politically irrelevant.
“What are the qualities of the people that defected? The two people: Michael West and John Bazia, who knew them in my cabinet? Have you ever heard them speak on behalf of PDP before? Have you ever heard them speak on behalf of our administration?”
He further said, “You knew the position of Dr Chidi Llyod when he was in APC. Ask the former Commissioner for Transport (Michael West), he contested PDP primaries with me, and got only three votes, but because of politics of carrying everybody along and the money he spent, I decided to accommodate him. He was commissioner for transport, ask him his contribution to the administration.”
The governor explained that during his first tenure, he almost sacked West as a commissioner for taking 13 luxurious buses belonging to the state government to Calabar for a spiritual programme, and also diverting funds generated by the task force on transport into his personal accounts.
“I called the commissioner for transport, and asked him of his whereabouts. He told me he was in Calabar to see his father, the Olumba Olumba. I was amazed, and said: you took our 13 buses to Calabar without permission? I would have sacked him that day. People prevailed on me to manage him till after the election.
“Task force personnel were collecting money and paying into the commissioner for transport’s private accounts. I called him in the State Executive Council meeting, and ask: how would you pay state money into your private account? I managed him till the end of my first tenure. You expect me to bring this kind of person to my cabinet again?
The governor said the reason given by West for his resignation from the PDP was that they didn’t allow him to head his ward executive committee of the party.
“So, how can we give somebody we know will be leaving the party EXCO position? So, that when he is defecting, he will say he has defected with the entire EXCO? He thinks he is smarter than anybody? These are neophytes in politics. We all kept our eyes on them.”
Speaking on former Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Dr John Bazia, the governor revealed that while serving in the State Executive Council, Bazia caused him so much embarrassment.
“During the 2015 presidential campaign, the President brought Kola to the Traditional Rulers. You can’t believe what happened: the chairman of Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council called me that the chiefs are waiting for their Kola. I was amazed and asked, which Kola? You have not received it? They said no. The then commissioner for information, who was the chairman of the sub-committee of our campaign, said they gave the Kola to John Bazia. Do you know what Bazia did? He took 80 per cent and brought 20 per cent of the Kola to the traditional rulers!
“The then commissioner for information got angry and slapped him, and called him ‘armed robber’. Everybody was angry, and compelled him to bring the Kola. What an embarrassment!”
Wike also narrated how he had to personally intervene and pay off €40,000 debt Bazia was owing.
He explained that his administration has done several projects in both Tai and Asari-Toru LGAs where the two decampees hail from.
The governor described as laughable the allegation that he was constructing seven flyover bridges in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor LGAs, and declared that he would be constructing additional three flyover bridges in Port Harcourt to ease traffic congestion.
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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