Politics
2023: Vote For Problem Solvers, Federal Lawmaker Urges Nigerian Youths
A federal lawmaker, Shina Peller, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, has urged Nigerian youth, that represents 70 per cent of the country’s population, to identify candidates that are problem solvers across political parties and vote for the best among them for the progress of the nation.
He gave the advice during an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the Shina Peller Mega Empowerment programme, held at Technical College, Oluwole, Iseyin, Oyo State, where he empowered about 2,000 constituents.
The items, included cars, tricycles, motorcycles, gas cylinders, farm sprayers, deep freezers, grinding machines, standing fans, sewing machines, electric kettles, electric cooking stoves, pressing irons, hair dryers, generating sets and vulcanizing machines, for the 13 local government areas that make up the Oyo North senatorial district.
Peller, who is the Ayedero of Yorubaland, and the 2023 Accord candidate for Oyo North Senatorial District, enjoined Nigerians to support candidates that have the capacity and capability to record electoral victory during next year’s general elections.
He pointed out that the youth must recognise the fact that they form 70 per cent of the population and they must leverage on their strength to contribute their quota in the building of strong institutions for Nigeria.
According to him, “What Nigeria needs at a time like this is a system, not a messiah. A system is a combination of people working together. So, I urge the youths to vote for problem solvers, persons who have shown capacity and capability.”
Peller, who is the Aare Gbobaniyi of Iseyinland, noted that 40 million Nigerian youth are students and advised them to believe in themselves, as well as convince and persuade their family members, friends and associates to vote for a secured future for the country by queuing behind problem solvers.
He stated that the empowerment programme was organised to say thank you to his constituents for standing by him.
He added that in less than four years since he became a federal lawmaker, he had placed 30 persons on scholarship, including the children of Iseyin people that died during a shooting spree by a federal security agency on Eid-el-Fitr day celebration sometime ago.
He also mentioned the construction of a block of classrooms at Otu and Iseyin, the donation of ambulances and other vital medical equipment to health centres across his constituency, the donation of computers to security agencies in Iwajowa for data collection and identification purposes towards addressing security challenges, adding that two among players that participated in the recent Peller Unity Cup are currently with the Nigeria Under-20 team, known as the Flying Eagles.
The Chairman of Accord in Ogbomoso North Local Government, Alhaji Yekini Garuba, appealed to voters in the 10 local government areas of Oke-Ogun, and three local government areas of Ogbomoso, to support Peller’s candidature, saying: “If we follow the law of natural justice, it is the turn of Oke-Ogun to produce the senator for Oyo North senatorial district.
“Oke-Ogun has 10 local governments and Ogbomoso has three local governments in this senatorial district. In the past eight years or thereabouts, the Oke-Ogun has supported Ogbomoso, in spite of the fact that the zone has the highest number of votes. So, it is the turn of Oke-Ogun and Ogbomoso is ready to support Hon Shina Peller. Though Shina Peller hails from Oke-Ogun, he is also our son in Ogbomoso. He is a graduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso. He was told the same thing that he is our son when he visited the palace of Soun of Ogbomosoland.”
A friend of Peller, Sultan Abubakar, who travelled from Yobe State to Iseyin to attend the mega empowerment programme, appealed to the people of Oyo North senatorial district to support Shina Peller to electoral victory.
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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