Politics
Akinlade, Amosun, Loyalists Return To APC
The candidate of the Allied People’s Movement for the March 9 Ogun State governorship election, Adekunle Akinlade, has returned to the ruling All Progressives Congress alongside his supporters.
Akinlade, who is loyal to ex-governor Ibikunle Amosun, defected to APM after losing the APC’s governorship ticket to Governor Dapo Abiodun.
But the state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Tunde Oladunjoye, said they were not aware of Akinlade and his supporters’ return.
Akinlade, who was Amosun’s preferred candidate for the election, last Monday announced that they had decided to let bygones be bygones and return to the APC.
He told journalists at the APM secretariat in Leme, Abeokuta, that they remained the legitimate owners of the APC.
He explained that he and his loyalists left the APC in October 2018 because of the alleged injustice meted out to them by the national leadership of the party.
He however said it became imperative for them to set their grievances aside and return to their party after they had used all available means to fight injustice.
Akinlade said: “APM was a platform to actualise our mandate. We have gained consciousness that we can never lose election again in Ogun State.
“I have learnt a lot of lessons, and I discovered that you must not go to the tribunal yourself when you have a case.
“As democrats and believers in the rule of law, we must now set our grievances aside, display the same courage and high sense of responsibility that kept us on through the last 15 months.
“We must at this junction show that our efforts so far were truly driven by the unwavering desire to sustain the unprecedented developmental strides recorded between 2011 and 2019 across our dear state.”
He added: “We have set in motion a chain of actions that hinges on our resolve to sustain this noble vision tagged the Mission to Rebuild our dear Ogun State.
“At the stakeholders’ meeting of December 22 in Abeokuta, leaders, elders and members came to the conclusion that it was time for those of us who left the APC to contest the elections on the platform of Allied People’s Movement in the last elections to return to the fold.
“As loyal party members, we accept and wish to use this opportunity to thank them for allowing us to explore our aspirations even when it came at great political and personal cost to them.
“It is with this reality in mind that I most sincerely call on every one of you that it is time to return home to the pre-October 2, 2018 Ogun State APC political family with the view to sustaining our core base and consolidate our gains so far.”
Oladunjoye said the party would study the situation before making further comments.
He said: “We will get the report and study the situation.
“We as a responsible party, we need to study the information because the party is not officially aware of the report.”
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.
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