Politics
Baby Boy Named After Wike
Governor Nyesom Wike opened the curtain last
week with a meeting with civil servants in the state.
At the meeting held at the State Secretariat Complex, the governor intimated them about the thrust of his administration and assured them that their welfare would form the bedrock of the present government.
He urged them to disregard rumours that his administration received N7 billion from the federal purse, explaining that such claim was promoted by the opposition to cause disaffection.
Wike therefore charged civil servants to be more committed to their duties, promising to pay backlog of salaries owed them by the former administration. The governor also promised to upgrade facilities in the secretariat complex and pay pensioners their arrears.
Governor Wike was in Abuja last Tuesday along with other state governors for a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. The meeting which was summoned by the president was aimed at addressing the nation’s dwindling revenue and backlog of salaries owed by many state governors.
After the meeting on Tuesday, Governor Wike was appointed a member of the National Salary Committee headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Governor Wike returned to the state on Thursday and unveiled the new South African e-visa application office in Port Harcourt. The governor thanked the South African authorities for making Rivers State their choice, saying it underscores that the state is peaceful and a hub in the South-South region.
He enjoined the South African Embassy to also commence direct flight from Port Harcourt to Johannesburg assuring that he will do everything we can to return Port Harcourt to its past glory and we will want everybody to support us”.
On his part, South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Lulu Louis Mmgani said the new visa application would strengthen relationship between Nigeria and South Africa.
On the same Thursday, Governor Wike at a brief ceremony, restored the privileges and entitlements of former Governor Celestine Omehia, who oversaw the affairs of the state from May to October 2007. He was later removed by a Supreme Court judgment on October 25th, 2007.
On why he restored the entitlements and privileges of Omehia, Governor Wike said it was high time they stopped playing the politics of bitterness and hate adding that former Governor Omehia presided over the state and touched lives within that period.
On Friday, Governor Wike inaugurated a Committee for the 2016 Olympic qualifying matches. He said the matches to be played in Port Harcourt were to prove that the state was free and safe for people to visit and invest and therefore charged them to work as a team and made consultations when necessary.
Chairman of the committee, Mr Boma Iyaye, thanked the governor for the opportunity given to members to serve and promised that the committee would work hard to ensure a successful hosting of the matches.
On Saturday, the Rivers State governor took out time to inspect facilities at the Bori General Hospital and another hospital at Emohua. A baby boy was named after the governor at Bori as he promised to upgrade facilities in two weeks.
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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