Politics
RSG Donates 50 Vehicles To Security Agencies
Intense political campaigns did not dull activities in
Government House Port Harcourt, last week Almost all officials of government were joggling last minute campaign with governance, including Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who shared most of his time between APC door-to-door campaign and state programmes.
On Monday, last week, the governor swore-in two commissioners to fill in vacant positions in the State cabinet. Both Isoboye Jack and Engr. ThankGod Ode are to replace former commissioners Dr. Tammy Danagogo and Marshall Uwom who resigned last year from the Ministries of Urban Planning and Housing, respectively.
The governor charged the new commissioners to restore sanity in the building environment.
“Let me congratulate you on your new appointment and to say that our urban development policy must be improved upon. You expected to assert law and order to regulate indiscriminate building of illegal structures and dumping of refuse in our environment”, he said.
Shortly after the swearing-in of the commissioners, Governor Amaechi inaugurated the reconstituted Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy chaired by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Nwogu Boms.
Members of the committee include, WS. Pepple, Dr. Jonah Hart, Venerable Jolly Ndubuisi, Barrister Chinemenem Jerome, Mrs. Gloria Atako, and Prof. Amakievi Gabriel.
Later on, the governor addressed pressmen in the State over the activities of Nigeria Police and opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party to arrest and detain its members on trumped-up charges.
According to Governor Amaechi, over 400 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are either under the watchlist of police or arrested while others have been killed in controversial circumstances.
The governor said the development has put the police under a compromising stance.
“I have no confidence in Nigeria Police, where the wife of the President posts police commissioner in River State”, he stated.
He challenged the police to live up to their billing as the protector of the citizenry, arguing that the current picture indicates that the APC is now contending with the police and the PDP together in the upcoming polls.
“If the police is removed from the ballot, we will accept the results”, he said.
Last Thursday, local government chairmen under the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) led a protest to the State Police Headquarters over the incessant arrests and harassments of its members in the state.
On the same day, Governor Amaechi through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. George Feyii, donated 50 security patrol vehicles to security agencies in the State to boost security during and after the elections.
On Friday, Governor Amaechi was in the State to participate in a door-to-door campaign in Ikwerre Local Government Area. He challenged people from the area on the need to change the current federal government through their votes, in order to enjoy stable and corrupt-free government.
On Saturday, Governor Amaechi attended the convocation ceremony of the state University of Science and Technology. He said the administration is part of the success story of the university, as he urged students to come out on 28th March and vote for change. About 5,600 convocated at the ceremony.
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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