Politics
Customary Court Bill Divides RVHA
Within the week under review, the Rivers State House of Assembly sat only on Wednesday when the second reading of the Customary Court Bill was taken and the introduction of a repackaged Waste Management Agency Bill scaled first reading.
Debate on the improved Customary court bill opened with Hon Onari Brown who eulogised the sponsor of the draft law particularly for the innovation in giving chieftaincy and traditional marriage issue to the customary courts to handle.
He, however, disagreed with the provision on membership of the court, arguing that the composition should include at least one person who is not a lawyer but vast in customs and traditions of the people.
This position gained more support from members and it was expected to move further to the committee stage where public hearing to elicit contributions from the public is required.
The argument which the House presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Leyii Kwanee, could not resolve whether the public hearing should be done in Port Harcourt or in the rural communities considering the localised nature of the bill.
Majority agreed with the proponents of holding the hearing in constituencies to ensure adequate participation, but it was apparently stalled by the possibility of financing the exercise. The inability to resolve the funding led the presiding speaker to defer the matter to a later date.
The leader of the House, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, presented a repackaged Waste Management Agency Bill that was earlier rejected for containing clauses that would make the law if passed difficult to be implemented.
He urged the lawmakers to give the new improved bill their support because concerted efforts had been made to remove all harsh sections from the bill as it provides that the Ministry of Environment will play a supervisory role to ensure adherence to laid down rules.
Within the week under discussion, members of the Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi Football Club of Yokhana, in Khana Local Government were in the office of the Deputy Speaker. Hon. Leyii Kwanee on a thank you visit.
The Deputy Speaker, who represents Khana Constituency 11, said he was elated to watch one of the players from the team, Dumate Piagbara score two goals in the current campaign of the Flying Eagles.
He observed that the positive exploits of the team within a short period of its existence has spurred him to continue to invest on the young players that would be the future brided of the state and the nation at large.
Similarly, the chairman of the House Committee on Information and Training, Hon. Onari Brown, has been honoured by the Sea View Poetry Club of Port Harcourt for his contribution to the development of youths in the state.
Speaking while hosting the celebration of this year’s World Poetry Day with members of the club, Hon Onari, told them to continue to explore their inherent talents because the contributions they make were being appreciated.
He assured that the Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Amachree would partner with them to improve the platform and frontiers of knowledge which they seek to achieve.
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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