Politics
Council Boss Hails Umahi’s Re-Election
Dr Eni-Uduma Chima, Chairman of Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi has described the re-election of Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi as a testimony of his outstanding performance.
Chima made this known at a news conference in Abakaliki on Tuesday.
The council boss said that the landslide victory of Umahi, the Governorship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturday’s election, was a verdict passed by the people.
He congratulated the electorate of Ebonyi for supporting the re-election of the governor, saying that the action was a demonstration of appreciation of what the governor had done in the state during his first term in office.
“The overwhelming votes received by the governor in the election was a demonstration of the people’s love, admiration and appreciation of his laudable achievements in the areas of infrastructure development, human empowerment and agricultural development.
“The performances of the governor in all sectors made the victory swift and total.
“This victory is for continuity of good governance, more infrastructure development and delivery of more democracy dividends to the people,’’ Chima said.
He called on losers in the governorship election to team up with the governor-elect to fast-track development of the state during the second term of the incoming administration.
“In every contest, there must a winner and there must be loser. Losers must be kind enough to accept defeat while winners must be magnanimous in victory.
“The governor has displayed this unique quality of a good leadership by extending hands of fellowship to those that lost in the contest.
“He urged them to place the interest of the state above personal and party considerations and to join hands to develop Ebonyi.
“The governor is open-minded, liberal and will easily bring in opposition politicians who are willing and have something to offer for advancement of good governance in the state.
“The governor will not neglect them on the basis that they are not of the same political party. In fact, toward the end of the electioneering campaign, most opposition candidates from different political parties joined the PDP to support the second term bid.
“Bringing oppositions into the administration will not be out of place; after all they are Ebonyi people before belonging to the political parties,’’ he said.
Chima assured the people that the governor would not abandon infrastructure development projects started in his first tenure.
He said that the governor was bound by his words to complete all projects embarked upon by his government.
“The flyover project at Abomege in Onitcha Local Government Area is a promise made in November 27, 2018, and work has since commenced in the site, moving steadily and speedily.
“For a governor who is running a campaign to have found time to commence fresh project of such gigantic nature shows that he is committed to work.
“Most of the projects are ongoing and will be rounded off because it will be unwise not to complete them.
“The governor is not afraid of embarking on projects that will positively touch on the lives of the people and he is committed to realising the Ebonyi Airport project which is a `pet’ project for him,’’ Chima said.
The council boss said that arguments that workers in the state were being under-paid in terms of salary, were not based on verifiable facts.
He said that workers would continue to enjoy regular monthly salary payments in the second term of the governor.
“Ebonyi workers receive their monthly salaries regularly and the government even pays better than most states including those in the oil-rich Niger Delta states and government is not owing salaries, despite the lean monthly allocation accruing to the state.
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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