Politics
More Knocks For Mbu …As New CP Resumes Office
As the new Rivers State
Police Commissioner, Mr Johnson Ogunshakin resumed office last Wednesday, more reactions have continued to trail the removal of his predecessor, Mr Joseph Mbu.
Speaking through his Press Secretary, Jim Opiki in a telephone interview, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Otelemaba Amachree, said Mbu’s redeployment to Abuja was a good omen for the State.
“We feel that the Police authorities have finally listened to the peoples’ genuine complaints about its officers. We expect that the new commissioner of police will operate within the ambits of the Nigerian Constitution”, he said.
The Speaker noted that democracy which Rivers people have craved for would be deemed to prevail if the new police commissioner acts according to the law.
“He should apply the same rules to everybody. We also hope that the new police commissioner will operate in accordance with the constitution and work in like manner with the State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi”, he stated.
Also speaking on Mbu’s redeployment, a lawmaker representing Etche Constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly, Hon Victor Amadi said Mbu’s redeployment to Abuja was a welcome development.
He, however, emphasised on the need for the new police commissioner to be professional and do away with partisan politics in the interest of peace and democracy.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Ogbonna Nwuke, has described the immediate past Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Mr Mbu Joseph Mbu, as an impostor for arrogating to himself powers that he did not have.
Hon Nwuke who was reacting to reporters’ questions at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, on arrival from Abuja, said the reassignment of Mbu shows that the Federal Government may have started to gradually respond to the concerns of the Nigerian people.
“We see the redeployment as a welcome development, we welcome it with conscious optimism, because of the fact that Mbu represented what can be said to be a grand manipulation of the police force or intelligence agencies by some persons who are power drunk”, he said.
The lawmaker said under the Nigerian constitution, the police commissioner does not have the power to ban rallies, stressing that Section 39,40,41 and 42 of the constitution and Section 214 give the governor such powers.
On the recent Supreme Court that knocked Sir Celestine Omehia out of the case, Hon Nwuke said there was no legal issue at the first instance that warranted the anxiety that people imputed into the matter.
“I believe in the rule of law, Governor Chibuike Amaechi believes in the rule of law and the victory is for Rivers people and democracy in the country”, Hon Nwuke declared.
To a former Rivers State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hon Sunny Wokekoro, last Friday’s Supreme Court judgement in favour of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has opened a new avenue for the governor to settle down and complete ongoing projects initiated by his administration.
According to him, it was also a clarion call for the governor’s detractors to sheathe their swords, embrace peace and allow him to continue to do his job as governor of the state.
“We hope that those who had over-stretched their luck must have learnt their lessons and allow sleeping dog lie”, he stated.
While calling on Rivers people who are still sitting on the fence to embrace the APC, Wokekoro said it was also incumbent on them to continue to support and pray for Governor Amaechi to accomplish all that his administration had started.
The APC steering Committee Chairman in PHALGA also applauded the redeployment of former Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Mbu Joseph Mbu, stressing that the former CP through his activities desecrated the police profession.
While noting that the former Police Commissioner was more or less a politician, he said Mbu’s actions and inactions rubbed off negatively on the image of the police, and advised his successor to learn from the former CP’s mistakes.
Felix Okogbule & Donatus Ebi
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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