Politics
Wike Inaugurates RSU’s Teaching Hospital Board
Last Friday, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, inaugurated the pioneer board of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.
The 12- member board which is headed by Dr Jonathan Nimi- Hart was inaugurated at the Executive Chambers of Government House, Port Harcourt.
Wike urged the board members to bring their wealth of experience into building a world class medical personnel training institution.
He said: “ As pioneer members, you have a duty of developing this teaching hospital from the scratch. We are doing our best to see that we give our best to our people”.
He assured them that the state government will support the board to see that it achieved set objectives.
Another major event, last week in Government House, Port Harcourt, was the termination of the share sale contract for the sale of 70 per cent equity of the state owned power generation assets held by First Independent Power Limited in Omoku, Afam , Trans- Amadi , and Elements Gas Turbines to NG-HPS Limited.
The State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Barr Emma Okah, who announced this at a media briefing on Friday, said the state government also terminated the concession of the Rivers and Bayelsa owned Olympia Hotel to Cenpropsaroten Hotel Management Limited.
Also terminated is the concession agreement between the Government of Rivers State and Kild Concession Limited in respect of the construction of a toll road and secondary development in Abonnema Wharf, Port Harcourt.
He explained that these were part of resolutions at the State Executive Council meeting presided over by the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike on Friday at the Government House , Port Harcourt.
He noted that the three companies that had their contracts and concessions terminated are subsidiaries of Sahara Energy Limited used by the past Governor Rotimi Amaechi government to acquire state assets.
He said the state government arrived at the resolutions in line with the recommendations of the White paper on the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry for the investigations of Amaechi’s administration on the sale of valued assets of the state and other related matters under the chairmanship of Justice George Omereji.
Also in the week under review, the state government expressed joy at the performance of her contingent to the 19th National Sports Festival for winning the second position.
Wike who spoke on Wednesday after receiving the National Sports Festival Second Position Trophy in Government House, said the state will honour members of the contingent for making the state proud.
“ I thank our contingent to the National Sport Festival for making the state proud. I think with better preparation, we would have emerged the first place “, he said.
Governor Wike was also honoured with the Special Recognition Award for his contribution to the development of wrestling in Africa.
On Thursday last week, Gov Wike appeal to the leadership of the Nigeria Legion in the state to reconcile their differences.
The Governor made the appeale during the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration Emblem and Appeal Fund launching at Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt.
“ I am surprise that up till now you have two factions in the Nigerian Legion , Rivers State simply because the state government gave a grant of N100million to the legion last year, a major crisis broke out “.
The governor launched the emblem for N10 million and also announced that the 23 local government areas in the state will launch the emblem with N23 million.
Representative of the legion in the state, Assistant Commander Ekwueme Francis commended Gov Wike for his magnanimity in releasing N100 million grant to the legion for scholarship to children of the fallen heroes and grant to their widows.
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.