Politics
I’Il Pull Bauchi Into 21st Century -Mohammed
Bala Mohammed, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, defeated the incumbent Governor, Abubakar Mohammed of the APC in the supplementary election held in the State last Saturday. Mohammed, described the four years of Governor Mohammed Abubakar as a nightmare with scandalous consequences.
He said that the activities of the outgoing government have made the majority of Bauchi people to doubt if their children will ever have a better future.Here is full text of the governor-elect’s acceptance speech.
Fellow citizens of Bauchi State, In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful. All praise is due to Allah, the giver of all power, the nourisher and sustainer of the whole universe for the gift of this day, on which we celebrate the good fortune of our electoral victory.
As we celebrate this hard-earned triumph, I am humbled that you have found me worthy of your trust and confidence.
I accept this responsibility with humility and I truly understand it’s meaning, namely: that you expect me to be a servant of the people, and to lead the charge for the restoration of hope over despair and good over evil.
At the core of this mandate is the crucial drive to give Bauchi State citizens a better prospect and greater opportunity for a prosperous life. Reducing poverty and empowering our citizens in the areas of Agriculture, Education, urban and rural infrastructure among others.
In accepting this mandate, I want to sincerely thank the Chairman and members of our great party, the PDP, who laboured relentlessly for my victory.
I equally commend the Director General of the Governorship Campaign Council and his team for a job well-done.
I extend very sincere appreciation to my brother, the Right Honourable Yakubu Dogara, our father and elder statesman Alhaji Bello Kirfi, OFR, other outstanding statesmen, religious and community leaders who stood by us.
I must thank also the coalition that emerged from various political parties that wholeheartedly endorsed and supported my candidature, as well as numerous professional unions, civil society organizations, Women and Youth Groups.
Most of all I want to thank each and every member of our 2.4 million voters. This victory belongs to us all. Once again you have not only made Bauchi State proud; you have restored our State’s political culture to higher pedestal of integrity and credibility to our greater glory.
Four years ago, the citizens of Bauchi State accepted a clarion call with excitement from you and voted a government they believed would usher a new and radical beginning.
This dream turned out to be a nightmare with scandalous consequences leading the majority of our people to doubt that our children will ever have a better future.
As a matter-of-fact, it is the failure of the outgoing administration to fulfill virtually all its electoral promises that boomeranged to their rejection by the citizens of Bauchi State.
You have therefore chosen through the ballot box never again to leave the destiny of our State in the hands of those who lack the vision, the motivation, and the capacity to drive the change we desperately need.
Our citizens have been subjected to grave and unprecedented economic deprivation and political persecution. As a father, I feel a sense of moral outrage that many of our once very ambitious youths have become completely demoralized and reduced to thuggery and drug addiction.
There was a time when every child in Bauchi state was guaranteed a functional education in our schools, and we will work to restore all our educational institutions to their glory again. Contrary to popular belief, our greatest strength is not our lands or our businesses but our own human capital.
I shall consider it not only my duty, but it will be my ardent desire to labour for the empowerment of our teeming youths. It also goes without saying that saving the lives of our women and children remains close to my heart. We shall establish a system which can deliver on our priority of ensuring that pregnancy is generally safe and has a happy and healthy outcome.
We are determined to launch a pro-business, pro-market agricultural and economic revolution within four years. My aim is to win over majority of the people of Bauchi State to believe in our new ideas and to believe in ourselves.
It is my desire to rapidly pull Bauchi State into 21stcentury, and I see a world of opportunities and possibilities waiting for us to explore through pragmatic innovations.
In the coming days and weeks, we shall be engaged with officials of the outgoing government with what would hopefully be a hitch-free transitional exercise.
Once we have a clearer picture of the enormity of the task of rebuilding our State, I shall be honest with you about the challenges we would face because I know the road will be long and rough.
We are indeed at a historic cross road. From 29thMay 2019 and beyond, we shall be even more tested to the utmost. But I am persuaded that we have come to this task better equipped than many; and I promise you that we shall not fail you for want of determination and ideas.
I pledge to execute the duties of the high office of the Governor of Bauchi State with dignity and honour for the benefit of all our people.
As your Governor, I propose to work to earn your respect; I will engage men and women that are best qualified to run an efficient and transparent government, and I shall hold them responsible and accountable to my administration.
In this task, I am delighted to have the able and tested Senator Baba Tela as my partner; he has a distinguished record of service to our country, and Bauchi State will be proud and lucky to have him as our Deputy Governor.
This is one journey that was supported by religious and Community Leaders who led our people with dignity and provided them with clear head to choose. The people have spoken.
Lest I procrastinate, I must thank my wife for her unwavering patience and tireless support. I equally thank the rest of my immediate and extended family for coping with my absence while on the campaign trail.
I must put on record the wonderful services of our mainstream media as well as the social media. You have made a useful input to our political socialization
Finally, we promise to run an inclusive and participatory government, and so I hasten to extend a hand of brotherhood and friendship to my fellow contestants because I believe we have everything to gain by working together.
My fellow citizens, I bring to you a message of hope.
We are a blessed State.
We are a blessed people.
Let us rededicate ourselves to building a worthy State that the whole nation would see and celebrate.
Politics
INEC Extends Candidate Submission Deadline Till ‘Morow
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.
Politics
2027: INEC Extends Submission Deadline For Assembly, Guber Candidates
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.
Politics
Yilwatda’s Birthday Outreach Demonstrates Leadership – Kefas
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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