Politics
Wike Rewards Rivers United, 2022 NPFL Champions …Says Rivers People Will Resist Treasury Looters
Port Harcourt the Rivers State Capital was on Thursday agog for members of Rivers United Football Club as the Rivers State Government hosted the club and its management in a colourful reception at the Government House, Port Harcourt for emerging winners of this year’s Nigeria Professional Football League. (NPFL).
As a mark of encouragement to the club for winning the prestigious trophy, Governor Nyesom Wike, who is the Pillar of Sports (POS) Africa, rewarded the players with a cash gift of $20,000 each and a trip to Madrid, Spain, for two weeks ahead of the commencement of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) competition.
A visibly elated Gov Wike, who showered encomium on the players and Management of Rivers United, said the feat was achieved as a result of hard work, commitment and team spirit.
The Governor identified sports as a veritable platform for youths’ development and cautioned against playing politics with sports in the country.
The players, coach and the management of Rivers United were also conferred with the Governor’s Medal Service Award for making Rivers State proud while promising more rewards if the club qualifies for the group stage of the CAF competition.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor also, on Thursday, declared that no individual with culpable indictment of looting the common wealth of Rivers State has the moral justification to present themselves for the leadership of the state.
Governor Wike, who stated this during the signing of contract for the construction of the 11th and 12th flyovers and dualisation of Azikiwe Street, Illaobuchi Road, Port Harcourt, pointed out that Rivers people were determined to safeguard the state’s coffers and have resolved to resist any attempts by people with obvious pedigrees of misappropriation of Rivers’ funds to come to power.
Governor Wike said the former Rivers State Governor/ Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi and his business associate, Tonye Cole, have indicting records of looting Rivers State’s funds and would definitely face trial despite their attempts to stop their arraignment.
Governor Wike, who called for vigilance on the part of Rivers people to ensure that they vote for credible candidates with unblemished records in 2023, said his administration had kept to all the promises it made to Rivers people and vowed to continue to protect the interest of Rivers State and dispense quality- people-oriented projects in the state till the end of his stewardship as the Governor.
Governor Wike also, within the week, played host to former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate in Kastina State, Sen Yakubu Danmark Lado and his Kano State counterpart, Mohammed Abacha at his private residence in Rumuepirikom, Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area.
Speaking with newsmen, Sen Lado and Mohammed Abacha said the visit was a show of courtesy and homage to a friend and brother, and expressed hope of brighter prospects of victory for the PDP in their respective states in 2023.
By: Taneh Beemene
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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