Politics
Wike Passes No Confidence Vote On INEC
Last week, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, accused multinational companies operating in the Niger Delta region of contributing largely to the crisis situation in the region.
The Governor stated this Tuesday, when the leadership of Nigerian Bottling Company ( NBC ) paid a courtesy visit to the Governor in Government House, Port Harcourt.
The Governor said by refusing to appoint indigenes of the region into management positions and execute meaningful deveopment projects under their Corporate Social Responsibility, (CSR) they fuel agitations by the people.
Wike urged management of the companies to step up their CSR projects and make people from the area occupy managerial positions, to make them have a sense of belonging.
He said it is unfair to relegate to the background people from the area where they exploit crude deposits and huge market potentials.
Wike particularly admonished a delegation from the telecommunications giant, MTN to grow above donating few computers to Rivers State schools and execute key projects as done in Lagos, in view of its huge profit margin in Rivers State.
The Governor played host to the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General for West Africa.
The Governor had on last Tuesday, while hosting the Senate Committee on INEC, declared that he has no confidence in the ability of INEC to conduct a transparent, free and fair election in the 2019 general elections in the country.
In spite of claims by the commission, the Governor said he had not seen anything to convince him that INEC is ready and willing for a transparent election.
He however, noted that any attempt by the commission to subvert the wishes of the electorate would be resisted by the people.
The committee led by it’s chairman, Sen. Suleiman Nazif, said they were in the state as part of their over sight functions to assess INEC in terms of it’s staff and capacity building.
The aim , he said, is to ensure that the commission is in good form for the forthcoming general elections.
Another major event last week in Brick House was the arrival of the National Festival Torch in the states.
Wike who received the torch, Thursday, in Government House, noted sports festivals promote peace, unity, and friendship said Rivers State will always participate in events that enhance national unity and cohesion.
The Governor was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry- Banigo who officially received the torch from the South/South Zonal Coordinator, National Sports Commission, Sunny Obot.
Obot stated that the torch is a symbol of National unity which was lit by President Muhammadu Buhari, on October 1, 2017.
Also last week, Governor Wike resumed his award winning spree as he was enthroned as the Sports Governor of the Year, 2018.
The Nigerian Sports Award chose Wike ahead his Lagos and Delta States counterparts, Akinwumi Ambode and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa respectively.
At the award reception held st Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos, the organisers noted that Wike tremendously improved sports through investment and promotion of sports activities.
Wike was commended for developing such facilities as Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, and ongoing Real Madrid Football Academy, Port Harcourt.
Recall that the Governor had bagged the prestigious Power Of Sports Award last year at the Conference of International Sports Press Association in Brussels, Belgium.
Another major event that took place last week in Government House, was the presentation of the final report of the Rivers State Golden Jubilee Committee at Government House by chairman of the committee, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba.
The Governor, praised the committee for a job well done and announced that government has accepted a recommendation of the committee to establish a technical group to develope a working document to enhance growth of the state.
The Governor also presided over last week Rivers StatevExecutive Council Meeting held Wednesday in Government House.
On Friday, the Governor inspected ongoing projects in the state to ascertain their level of completions. Among the projects he inspected were the Judges quarters, Mile 1 Market, and the Rivers State Fruits and Garden Market.
By: Chris Oluoh.
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.