Politics
2023: Gov Tasks Journalists On Fairness, Accuracy
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has urged journalists to abide by the principles of fairness, accuracy and balance in the coverage of political campaigns and activities for the 2023 elections.
Mohammed made the call at the 2022 Annual Media Retreat organised by the Federal Capital Territory Minister’s Press Corps, on Friday in Bauchi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the retreat was: “The Role of Residents, the Media and FCT Administration in holding Area Council Chairmen Accountable to Service Provision and Infrastructure Delivery”.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Media, Malam Muktar Gidado, the governor also enjoined media practitioners to eschew mischief, inflammatory reports and fake stories.
Mohammed said the call became necessary for the sustenance of the country’s nascent democracy and political stability.
He added that media practitioners in Bauchi State have enjoyed unalloyed support from the state government that has been giving them the needed advantage to operate seamlessly.
Mohammed said: “ And as you are getting set to cover the 2023 elections, you must ensure that the principles of fairness, accuracy and balance in the coverage of political campaigns and activities are observed.
“ You should also shun biased reporting of events and remain steadfast in the discharge of your duties.”
Mohammed also said that his administration had besides building a cordial relationship with the media, also made giant strides in community development.
According to him, “with the resources available to the state, critical projects had been successfully executed in key sectors of the economy.
“ We have executed projects that have direct bearing on the lives of the generality of the people of the state.
“ We have constructed network of roads in both urban and rural areas to facilitate socio-economic activities across the state.
“ Schools and health facilities had been constructed, renovated, provided with the necessary equipment and furniture, while water supply schemes in the state capital and local governments headquarters had been executed.
“ We have also provided fertilizer and other agricultural inputs and machinery to our teeming farmers.
“The State Secretariat and Secretariats of all the 20 Local Governments had been totally renovated to provide conducive working environment for our workers,” Mohammed said.
Earlier, the Mandate Secretary, FCTA Area Council Services Secretariat (ACSS), Ibrahim Dantsoho, underscored the importance of an effective participatory of the media practitioners and other citizenry in the democratic process, especially at the grassroots level.
Dantsoho, who said that the media play complementary roles in governance, spoke of the need for journalists not to relent in discharging their constitutional roles as the third eye of the society.
Represented by Director, Chieftaincy Matters, Malam
Awwal Dogon-Daji, the secretary said, “democracy requires that people should have the right to know the activities of government, especially the decision of government that
affects their life, liberty and property.
“Information is important for people to make choices regarding their participation in the state.
“Sufficient information helps people to decide rationally and take the right course of action beneficial to them.
“Citizens and civil society engagement to demand and promote good governance can improve by and large the viability of good governance and anti corruption programme.
“This is because the success of democracy is impossible without participation of the people”
Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, urged media professionals to always be aware of the enormous power they possess and use it for the good of the society.
He, however, decried the poor participation in the democratic process by the citizens, resulting in the low demand for accountability.
Also, the Chairman, FCT Minister’s Press Corps, Malam Hudu Yakubu, called on media practitioners to beam more searchlights on the activities of all levels of government, especially the local councils.
“ Every tier of government has a responsibility of protecting and improving the lives of citizens and in this case, we are focusing on the 3rd tier of government, which is the local government, called Area Councils in the FCT.”
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.