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RSG To Site RSU Faculty In Etche

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6 years ago

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The people of Etche Local Government Area who have been clamouring for the siting of a higher institution in the area now have reason to smile as the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has assured that the state government would take steps to ensure siting of one of the faculties of the state university in Etche before the expiration of his second tenure in 2023.
Governor  Wike made the promise last Friday when a delegation of the Etche-America Foundation paid him a courtesy visit in Government House Port Harcourt.
The Governor  expressed confidence that siting a faculty of the university would accelerate development in the area .
“ I will talk with the leadership of the state university to find a faculty that can be moved to Etche. You can go home and be assured that before I leave office, one of the faculties will move to Etche”, Wike told the delegation.
He noted that Etche-America Foundation (EAF) had shown strong passion for the development of Etche and urged other ethnic groups to emulate the foundation instead of concentrating all their interest on politics.
Leader of the delegation and chairman of the foundation, Dr Richard Nwankwoala, had listed the noble contributions of the association and presented a design of the Skills Acquisition Centre it intends to develop.
Also in Brick House last week, the governors and leaders of the South-South geopolitical zone rose from a meeting last Tuesday and demanded for an unreserved apology from the Presidency  for  aborting a crucial stakeholders meeting scheduled to hold in Government House Port Harcourt.
The Chairman, South-South Governors Forum and Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, who presided over the session said the botched meeting was at the instance of the  Presidency to deliberate on burning issues affecting the region and the aftermath of the EndSARS protest.
Okowa who expressed disappointment that such important meeting was cancalled by the presidency  after adjusting the meeting twice.
Another major event in Government House within the period under review was the solidarity visit by the Coalition  of Nothern Groups ( CNG) to Governor Wike.
According to CGN spokesperson , Abdul-Azees Suleiman, the group was in the state to express gratitude to the Rivers State Governor for his leadership, sacrifice, statesmanship and unwavering commitment deployed in protecting the Northern community  from the violence and violation of their rights and dignity during the recent mayhem in Oyigbo.
The group also commended Governor Wike for the promptness in redeeming the pledge of N200 million to the families of security personnel killed during the mayhem.
In his response, Governor Wike stated that he had no regret for proscribing the Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra (IPOB), stressing that  his action on the outlawed IPOB was due to his belief in the unity of Nigeria.
He said the EndSARS protest was peaceful in the state until IPOB hijacked it, and killed six Army officers, four Police officers,  and also burnt police stations and courts.
Also last week, the State Executive Council approved contract for the sixth flyover project in Port Harcourt.
Commissioner for Works, Eloka Tasie-Amadi disclosed this after the council’s meeting last Friday,  adding that the contract which is expected to complete in twelve months is to be handled by Julius Berger .
Information and Communications Commissioner, Paulinus Nsirim, said the approval by the Council demonstrates a robust commitment to the urban renewal vision of Governor Wike’s administration and called on the citizens of the state to rally round the administration.
Governor Wike reacted to the last week defection of the Governor  of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, and said it was Umahi’s quest to be presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC)that motivated his defection from PDP to APC and not  because of Umahi’s allegation that injustice meted to South- East  by PDP prompted  detection.
Wike noted that while Umahi has a right to move to the APC, but for him to attempt to blackmail the PDP and paint it in a bad light was mischievous and unacceptable.
“ For the first time before PDP left office, they (South East) have never had Chief of Army Staff. They have had Senate Presidents. They have had National Chairman of the party, they have had Secretary to the Government of the Federation. They have had Minister of Finance.
“ Now tell me what APC has given to the people of South East since 2015, minister of Labour, minister of Science and Technology and minister of Foreign Affairs”, he said and advised Umahi not to allow his Presidential ambition destroy South East zone politically.
Also last week, the Rivers State Chief Executive delivered a keynote address at the Third Annual Nigerian Criminal Law Review Conference organised by the Rule of Law Development Foundation in Abuja held last Monday.
The Governor kicked against the Executive Order 10 of the Federal Government which permits deduction of funds from each state account to finance the judiciary.
He said it was politically motivated and geared towards the 2023 general election.
By: Chris Oluo
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INEC Extends Candidate Submission Deadline Till ‘Morow

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1 week ago

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August 10, 2026

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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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1 week ago

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August 10, 2026

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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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1 week ago

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August 10, 2026

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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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