Politics
Lawmaker Harps On Good Leadership
The lawmaker representing Degema Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Farah Dagogo says good leadership is fundamental to the growth and sustainability of Nigeria.
Dagogo who made this known via a statement marking Nigeria’s 57th Independence celebration, enjoined citizens of the country to use the occasion to remember and celebrate the bravery of Nigeria’s national heroes who laid down their lives in course of the struggle for the nation’s Independence.
The lawmaker who is also the chairman House Committee on Education, urged all and sundry to use the occasion to take inventory of how well the nation has faired since her independence in the face of the numerous challenges bedeviling the country.
He stressed the need for unity and peaceful coexistence amongst citizens, while urging fellow political leaders of the country at all levels to place public interests above their political or personal interests, in order to realise the yearnings and aspirations of the masses.
According to him, “As we remember and celebrate the bravery of our national heroes who gave us Independence, there is no better time than this Independence Day anniversary to take stock of how far we have gone, especially in the face of the numerous challenges bedeviling our country.
“Our national heroes believed that by uniting we stand and by dividing we fall and I agree no less. Every citizen should have a sense of belonging wherever they find themselves.
“ Also very fundamental to us as a nation, we need good leaders, leaders who we all can trust, the kind of leaders who always put public interests above their political or personal interests, so that the yearnings and aspirations of the commoners can be realised.
“ We all must rise to the great task of building social trust between the government and the governed. By so doing, we can have peace and stability in our country as well as having our dreams of a new tomorrow come true”, part of the statement reads.
Chief Wike spoke on Saturday after inspecting the Apo-Karshi Road and Kubwa-Bwari Road projects in Abuja.
The minister said he had observed a pattern in which several presidential campaign directors-general worked to deliver victory for their candidates but subsequently lost their home states.
The Presidency recently announced the composition of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, appointing former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, as Director-General.
Chief Wike cited the experiences of Mr Rotimi Amaechi, Sen. Bukola Saraki, Sen. Aminu Tambuwal and Sen. Simon Lalong as examples of campaign leaders who lost their states while leading presidential campaigns.
He recalled that Mr Amaechi served as Director-General of late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 campaign and later lost Rivers State, while Sen. Saraki, who led Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s campaign in 2019, also lost Kwara State and his senatorial seat.
According to Chief Wike, Sen. Tambuwal, who served as Alhaji Abubakar’s campaign DG in 2023, lost Sokoto State, while Sen. Lalong, who headed President Tinubu’s APC campaign in 2023, lost Plateau State.
“I don’t want to lose my state! I will be in my state. I have two states: FCT and Rivers. What is important is that you are able to deliver those two states. So it is not about being DG,” Chief Wike said.
He argued that there would be little value in heading a presidential campaign if the person could not deliver their own state.
Chief Wike also said his non-membership of the APC was another reason he could not head the party’s presidential campaign council.
“I am not a member of APC. So the issue of their Presidential Campaign Council is out of the question,” he said.
The minister, however, maintained that his support for President Tinubu’s re-election would continue despite not being part of the APC’s formal campaign structure.
He said politicians from different parties were already working together under what he described as a “Rainbow Coalition” to support President Tinubu’s 2027 bid in their respective states.
According to Chief Wike, the coalition is operating in states including Kwara, Bayelsa, Rivers, Osun and Benue.
He said political relevance should be measured by results rather than campaign titles, stressing that his priority was to help deliver the FCT and Rivers State for President Tinubu.
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.
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