Politics
S’West PDP’s Request For Ayu’s Ouster Vindicates Wike -Chieftain
The South West wing of the People Democratic Party demand for resignation of party’s National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu has vindicated Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, a party chieftain has said.
Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, a former member of the House of Representatives ( Etche-Omuma Constituency, Rivers) made this remark in a statement yesterday in Lagos.
The Tide source recalls that the PDP was hit by crisis after Alhaji Atiku Abubakar emerged the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
Some PDP governors and leaders had insisted that for fairness and balancing, the North should not hold both the party’s presidential ticket and chairmanship position.
Leading the struggle for Ayu’s resignation, who is from the North Central part of Nigeria was Wike and some other leaders from the southern Nigeria.
This position was again reiterated by the South West PDP leaders led by Governor. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Wednesday, when Atiku met with leaders from the zone ahead of the commencement of 2023 general elections campaign on Sept. 28.
Nwuke said all along, some people had tried to divert attention from the real issues by claiming that Wike, for selfish reasons, was trying to destabilise the PDP since he did not win the primaries and could not become Atiku’s running mate.
He, however, said that the stance taken by Yoruba PDP leaders when Atiku visited them had shown that the struggle for the correction of imbalances in the party was not about Wike.
Nwuke said, “Wike is not the issue as some people will want us to believe. Wike has become the symbol of the struggle for the protection of the rights of the people of Southern Nigeria.
“For some reasons, persons close to the PDP flagbearer have tried to be clever by half. There is a limit to name calling.’’
“Despite attempts to confuse issues and hide the truth, the actual message is out. It is about the South and nothing else.
right’, adding that ‘returning the chairmanship of the party to the South at this time is what is right’.
He said that leaders of the party must acknowledge that what happened in the build up to the special convention when some people chose to run against zoning was unconstitutional.
According to him, this is the right thing to do in the present circumstance.
“Finally, accepting that a balance of power on a North/South basis is what is right is the best thing to do as we go forward.
“Now that the South West has spoken, Abubakar will have to decide whether he wants to be a mere presidential candidate or if he wants to win an election. He will have to choose between Ayu and the South as we prepare for 2023.
“At this time, we are not begging them to do what is right, we are demanding that they do what is right in the interest of the PDP. Anything short of that will not work,” Nwuke added.
Abubakar on Wednesday, met with Makinde, a former governor of Ekiti – Ayodele Fayose, the Osun governor-elect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, former Osun govermor -Mr Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and his Ondo State counterpart, Dr Olusegun Mimiko among other leaders of the party from the South-West.
Abubakar was in the company of his running mate and Delta Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and other top hierarchy of the party.
The meeting was to discuss the future of the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
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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