Politics
APGA Inaugurates Soludo’s Campaign Council
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has inaugurated a 2021 Campaign Committee for Professor Charles Soludo.
Soludo is the flagbearer of APGA for the forthcoming November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.
The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria will slug it out at the polls with Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Accord Party’s Dr. Godwin Maduka and the All Progressive Congress flagbearer, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
However, speaking while inaugurating the campaign committee at an event attended by thousands of APGA supporters held at Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, Governor Willie Obiano, who doubles as the chairman of the event and the APGA Board of Trustees (BoT), applauded the Kano court judges on the right decision they reached and also expressed joy on the position the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) finally took by returning Professor Soludo and Dr Ibezim as the gubernatorial and deputy candidate respectively.
Obiano further thanked the mammoth crowd for turning out en masse within a very short notice, assuring them that he was handing them over to a capable and competent hand who will improve on his legacies.
Speaking at the event, Senator Victor Umeh, who is the chairman APGA reconciliation committee, assured that the masses that have been the modus operandi of APGA traducers but in all circumstances at the end, the party triumphs.
Umeh pleaded with the aggrieved members to come to the committee and lay their grievances and promised that it will be addressed as he has been doing since the inception of the committee.
He reaffirmed that APGA was handed over by Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu and it will not die in their hands and advised those threatening to come and conquer Anambra state to face their states and solve the numerous crisis engulfing their states and leave Anambra state for Anambrarians.
The former federal lawmaker told them that every member of APGA is a member of the campaign committee in their own rights and advised them to work hard for the election and never to compromise, because, “victory for APGA is victory for all, and that it is only when APGA is on throne that they can lay their grievances”.
On his part, the National Chairman of APGA, Ozomkpu Victor Ike Oye, praised the judiciary generally for doing justice in all the courts the APGA traducers took him and the party to.
He appreciated the APGA faithful for keeping faith with the leadership of the party during those trying times and assured them of an overwhelming victory at the polls in November 6 election.
Also, the state Chairman of the Party, Sir Nobert Obi, thanked and encouraged members to continue to be faithful that there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.
Assuring of a robust campaign ahead the November election, the chairman of the campaign committee, Hon Chinedu Obidigwe eulogized the judiciary particularly Kano appeal court judges for asserting boldly the true position of the law without equivocation.
Obidigwe also eulogized INEC for doing the needful by removing the name of Chukwuma Umeoji and replacing it with that of Professor Charles Soludo and his deputy, Dr Ibezim.
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.
-
News3 days agoRSG Targets Nine Million Residents in Mosquito Net Distribution Campaign
-
Oil & Energy3 days agoAiyedatiwa Signs New Electricity Bill
-
Maritime3 days agoMarine Minister Commends President Tinubu On NPERA Bill Assent
-
Oil & Energy3 days agoNLNG Commissions Research And Innovation Centre In RSU
-
News3 days agoKenPoly Holds Eight Convocations, August 29
-
News3 days agoRSG Begins Another Phase of Projects Commissioning Today
-
News3 days agoRMAFC Completes Revenue Sharing Review, Proposes New Pay
-
Maritime3 days agoNAGAFF Petitions IGP Over Alleged Maritime Police Harassment