Politics
Ado-Ibrahim Wins YPP’s Presidential Primary …As Medical Practitiner Clinches Enugu Guber Ticket
Renowned civil rights activist and founder of the Reset Nigeria Initiative, Prince Malik Ado-Ibrahim, on Wednesday, won the presidential primary of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
He polled 66 votes to defeat his rival, Mrs Ruby Issac, who had four votes.
Though there were about 74 accredited delegates, only 70 voted.
Though there were about 74 accredited delegates, only 70 voted.
A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Adamu Garba, had been scheduled to be part of the YPP presidential aspirants but withdrew from the race, saying that he suspended his ambition to unite the youths.
Meanwhile, a 35-year-old medical practitioner and Information and Technology expert based in California, United States, Mr Ugochukwu Ede, has won the governorship primary of the Young Progressives Party in Enugu State.
Ede emerged the winner of the primary election held at a hotel in New Haven, Enugu, after polling a total of 17 votes.
The Chairman of YPP Enugu State Governorship Primary Election Committee, Dr Frank Nweke, while announcing the result of the election, said 17 delegates, one each from the 17 local government areas of state participated in the election.
He stated, “The party adopted the option A4 in the conduct of the primary. We have one aspirant, who contested the governorship ticket of our party. The delegates queued behind the aspirant and after counting, he polled a total of 17 votes to emerge the winner of the primary.
“By the power conferred on me, I, Dr Frank Nweke, Chairman of the YPP Enugu State governorship primary election held today, Saturday, June 4, 2022, hereby declare Mr Ugochukwu Bethel Ede as the governorship candidate of the YPP, having scored the highest votes in the primary election and he is hereby returned elected.”
In his acceptance speech, Ede thanked the delegates for entrusting him with the party’s gubernatorial mandate and promised not to disappoint them.
He said his administration would focus on the education sector with a view to restoring the confidence of young people, which he admitted was currently declining to an abysmal level.
The candidate attributed the development to the lack of job opportunities for graduates, who strive to train themselves, noting that education would be his administration’s priority.
The US-trained medical practitioner hinted that the vision of turning Enugu into a technological state would remain a mirage if the young population of the state was uneducated, adding that he intends to make the state a technology hub in the South-East zone.
According to him, making the state a technology hub will make it possible for the citizens to come up with various innovations that will make it compete with other technology hubs in the world.
On industrialisation, Ede stated that his government would work towards industrialising the state by ensuring that an industry was established in all the 17 local government areas with a view to creating jobs for the teeming unemployed population.
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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