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Wike Marks Supreme Court Victory With Thanksgiving

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Activities opened in Government House, Port Harcourt,
last week, with a special thanksgiving service organized by the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, as mark of gratitude to God for his victory at the Supreme Court on a litigation challenging his eligibility to contest the 2019 gubernatorial election.
The event which took place last Tuesday at the Chapel of Everlasting Grace, Government House, was graced by members of the State Executive Council, top members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Permanent Secretaries, members of the State House of Assembly, local government council chairmen, heads of government agencies, staff of the Government House, amongst others.
Governor Wike who took the first Bible reading, later narrated how one Achinike Wobodo, an aide to the former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, filed a suit at the Federal High Court and lost in 2018, only for him to return in 2019 to file same eligibility suit against him, with another person as the plaintiff while he (Wobodo) served as counsel.
The Governor said that Chibuike Amaechi and his cohorts had taken unimaginable steps in his desperate efforts to frustrate the development of the state but all those efforts failed because God continued to intervene in the affairs of Rivers State.
He regretted that inspite of extending an Oliver Branch to political opponents, they have continued unnecessary political battles that will not benefit t he state. He restated the need for all to join hands with this administration to build the state irrespective of party differences stressing that all efforts to demarket that state must stop.
The Chairman of Eleme Local Government Council, Barr Philip Okparaji hailed Gov Wike on his victory at the Supreme Court and said the victory was not only for Gov Wike but for Rivers State and Democracy.
The new Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura was in Government House, Wednesday, on a courtesy visit to the state chief executive.
While receiving the commissioner, Gov Wike expressed worry over what he termed frequent change of security chiefs in the state, saying such development makes it difficult to plan for the improvement of security in the state.
Wike regretted that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Nigerians Army, Major-General Jamil Sarham has not been transferred despite the mass transfer of officers across the country by the Army High Command.
Wike said he was surprised that despite the ugly and shameful role the GOC played during the past elections in the state, the Army High Command chose to retain him in Rivers State.
The new commissioner of police lauded Wike for the huge support he has been giving to all security agencies in the state particularly for recent donation of 50 patrol vans to the Rivers State Police Command.
Dandaura assured the governor that he would remain politically neutral and professional in the discharge of his duties. The police boss implored sister security agencies to work in synergy with the police to improve security in the state.
In the week under review, Governor Wike approved the appointment of the Emir of Lafia, His Royal Highness Sidi Bage as the chancellor of the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.
Wike relied on section 3 and schedule 1 of the Rivers State University Law, 2017, which gave the governor the impetus to make the appointment. The appointment took immediate effect.
Another major event in Brick House, last week, was the security Town Hal Meeting, Governor Wike held at Choba on Friday. In the meeting were security chiefs in the state, chiefs of Choba as well as leaders and youth groups in the area.
At the meeting, the governor recounted some ugly security situations that unfolded in Choba in recent time particularly the killing of a prominent son of the area and a director in the state civil service.
Wike said, “We have made some arrests and police have commended investigation on the security situation. Anybody who is linked to the killing in the area would be brought to justice”, adding that any person detained in connection with insecurity in the area would be brought to justice.
He said that Choba used to be a peaceful community until this recent time and warned that enough is enough.
Wike enjoined the traditional head of the area to convene a meeting with chiefs and other stakeholders in the area to see that peace is restored in the area.
Governor Wike on Saturday announced the establishment of Educational Trust Fund in honour of late Colonel Ken Elemele, a son of the state who fell in Boko Haram, ambush between Yobe and Borno recently. He said that fund would help train the four children of the late officer.
He described the death of late Elemele as a sad loss to the state and the entire country.
Wike who was represented to the event by his chief of staff, Engineer Chikwuemeka Woke, said that the Education Trust Fund would take off with an initial seed money of N30 million.
On same Saturday Governor Wike embarked on an inspection of ongoing projects in Port Harcourt and its environs. Among the projects visited were the Rumuwoji Market popularly called Mile One Market, the Fruit Garden Market and Judges Quarters.
The Governor expressed satisfaction with the quality and speed of work on the project sites and said he was confident that the projects would be inaugurated in the first one hundred days of his second term.

 

Chris Oluoh

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INEC Extends Candidate Submission Deadline Till ‘Morow

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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.

 

 

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2027: INEC Extends Submission Deadline For Assembly, Guber Candidates 

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given political parties three extra days to complete the submission of candidates for the February 2027 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.

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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Yilwatda’s Birthday Outreach Demonstrates Leadership – Kefas

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The Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, has described the medical outreach organised by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, as a powerful demonstration of leadership and compassion.

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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