Politics
Rivers Pensioners To Get Arears February
Activities in Government House continued on a
campaign note last week, as both the state and national campaigns of the All Progressives Congress (APC) got to a momentum.
Governor Chibuike Amaechi who is the chairman of the Buhari Campaign Organisation took a break from the national campaigns of the APC to attend to state matters. He met with the business community earlier in the week.
On Thursday, Governor Amaechi returned to the state during which he appeared live on a local radio station to speak to the citizenry. During the interview, the governor hinted of plans by the state government to pay pensioners their arrears before the end of February.
The governor used the radio interview to address pressing state matters, which include the outbreak of cholera in Andoni Local Government Area and Bird Flu reported in some parts of the state.
On the cholera outbreak in Andoni Local Government Area, the governor stated that already the Ministry of Health has put the malaise in check, but disclosed plans to build boreholes in some parts of the local government to reduce further outbreak.
The governor also spoke on the outbreak of Bird Flu, stating that the state government has directed that affected birds in infected farms be slaughtered to avert further spread of the virus.
Later on the same day, Governor Amaechi attended the APC guber rally in Etche Local Government Area. He urged the people of Etche to vote out the PDP-led Federal Government for ceding their oil wells to Abia State.
In the words of the governor, “I will tell you why President Jonathan dislikes the Etche people. You can see that the road from Igwuruta to Abia is a federal road and the road from Emerelu to Omuma also belongs to the Federal Government, but none of these roads have been reconstructed. He used the rally to explain why he refused to grant request of the PDP to use the 40,000 capacity Adokiye Amieyesimaka Stadium for its campaign.
“We will not release the newly built Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium to the PDP for their campaigns. This is because the PDP denied the APC from using the Eagle Square in Abuja for its campaign,” Amaechi said.
Commenting on the controversy surrounding the Senior School Certificate of APC presidential hopeful, Gen Buhari, the governor accused the PDP of diversionary tactics, saying that it is not the issue Nigerians want to hear.
“The Peoples Democratic Party should tell Nigerians why they have refused to eradicate corruption in President Jonathan’s administration. Our economy is so bad that the PDP led government cannot account for the missing $2.3 billion,” he stated
Governor Amaechi was back to the state on Saturday after participating in the Presidential APC rally outside the state. The APC rally in Okrika which he was to attend was put off following the bombing of the rally venue by thugs. While the police has confirmed the incident, the party has assured that the Okrika rally will hold on another date yet to be announced.
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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