Politics
PDP Charges Governorship Candidates To Reconcile With Defeated Aspirants
National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Iyorchia Ayu has advised all its governorship candidates to reconcile with defeated aspirants before the 2023 governorship elections.
Ayu gave the advice while presenting Certificates of Return to the candidates.
He advised them to remember that many were called but few were chosen.
“You were chosen to be our flag bearers at the forthcoming elections. Everybody who contested with you was also chosen.
“You must carry every member of the defeated aspirants’ communities along because they contributed in mobilising and growing our party.
“I want to sincerely thank you for the work you put in. And we hope you will continue to work hard because this is just the first step,’’ Ayu told the candidates.
The chairman expressed the belief that the PDP would win governorship seats in 25 states at the 2023 general elections.
He said that the PDP was confident of retaining all its 13 states because its governors had performed very well.
Ayu added that the PDP had no fear that the people would vote PDP governors back to power and also vote for PDP where it does not currently have governors.
“We believe that the PDP will go back to his winning ways. When we started in 1999, we were able to produce 21 governors; we grew that number in 2003 to 28 and sustained it at 28 up to 2007.
“Unfortunately, we came through hard times and the number declined. Today we have only 13 governors. For a political party of this stature, that number is not good enough.
“All of you must, therefore, work very hard to reconcile with whoever opposed you, work with everybody, and carry everybody along.
“At the end of the day by next year, we should be able to come back to at least 25 governors,’’ the party leader said.
Ayu assured the PDP candidates that the party’s National Working Committee and all other stakeholders would give them the necessary support to emerge victorious.
Speaking at the ceremony, the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, said it was evident that the PDP was the party Nigerians were waiting for.
Congratulating the gubernatorial candidates, Abubakar urged them to be united and work for the victory of PDP.
“I want to assure all of you that we will work together as a team and make sure you are all brought back elected as governors in your respective states.
“I will ensure that we work together as a team in every state of this country to enthrone a PDP government.
“The question of saying that we are going to give a quarter of the country or so to the ruling party must not arise in this election.
“The processes which have made you to emerge are now history; what is before us is a task that we must all unite and achieve for this party and for Nigerians,’’ Abubakar said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that all the party’s governorship candidates were issued their certificates of return, except for Ebonyi and Kano because of legal issues within the party in the states.
Those who received the certificates were Ladipupo Adebutu (Ogun), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi State), Seyi Makinde (Oyo State) and Ahmadu Fintri (Adamawa)
Others are Peter Mbah (Enugu State), Prof. Uche Ikonne (Abia), Oborevwori Sheriff (Delta), Pastor Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Siminialayi Fabura (Rivers) and Sandy Onor (Cross River).
Also issued with the certificates were Mohammed Sule-Lamido (Jigawa), Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Titus Uba (Benue), Sa’aidu Umar (Sokoto State), and Isa Ashiru (Kaduna State).
Governor Mohammed of Bauchi State, who spoke on behalf of other candidates, said they appreciated the party’s leaders, assuring of synergy at state level for the party to emerge victorious in 2023.
“We assure you that there will be no problem in all the states and we are going to work with you to make sure that Abubakar emerges as the president of Nigeria.
“We assure you there will be synergy. There will be cooperation. And we are going to work assiduously to make sure that our party emerges victorious at the various levels.
“We know we are in the opposition and we are not going to relent until we become the ruling party in our country, Nigeria,’’ Mohammed stressed.
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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