Niger Delta
Bayelsa Polls: INEC Declares 33,606 Uncollected PVCs … As Key Contestants’ Areas Lead In Non-collection
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said there are about 33,606 uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in Bayelsa State.
The Tide gathered last Thursday in Yenagoa, the state capital, at the maiden press briefing held by the newly redeployed Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) to the State, Barr. Obo Effanga.
“Upon assumption of office last week, I met with the State’s Commissioner of Police”, he said.
He reiterated that he would continue consultations with critical stakeholders and other security formations, as well as meet with the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to foster an harmonious working relationship as the elections draw closer.
“I’ve also met with all the governorship candidates and state Chairmen of the 16 political parties which fielded candidates for the November 11th, 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship polls”, the REC added.
Effanga emphasized that he had at the various meetings restated INEC’s commitment in conducting credible polls.
“I’ve told political parties and candidates for the November 11th Bayelsa State Governorship election that the INEC here in the state under my stewardship is and shall continue to be an unbiased electoral umpire, so any candidate or party which desires to win the election must have voters to vote for him or her and their parties to win”, Effanga restated.
The electoral chief, who also indicated plans by the Commission to commence the issuance of uncollected permanent voters cards (PVCs) to their respective owners, noted that about 15 Registration Areas (RAs) have in excess of over 33,606 uncollected PVCs in the state.
“Local Government Areas which have more than 500 uncollected PVCs would do the issuances in the affected RAs (wards). There’re 105 wards in Bayelsa State.
“The collection of the PVCs would last for one month. It would begin on Monday, 11th, September through October 9th, 2023.
“Those with less than 500 uncollected PVCs would have theirs at their respective Local Government Areas’ INEC offices”, he emphasized.
Meanwhile, findings by The Tide, which monitored the briefing, shows that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva’s Brass Local Government Area has a total of 5273 uncollected PVCs.
Okpoama, ward 4 (RA 4), the former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources’ immediate Registration Area (RA), has 4,236, while the ward of the incumbent Speaker of the State House of Assembly, the Rt. Hon.Abraham Ingobere’s Sangana, Ward 10 (RA 10), also of the Brass council area, has 1,037. This makes it a total of 5273 for the Brass Local Government Area.
Ogbia Local Government Area, which shares same Senatorial District (Bayelsa East Senatorial District) with Sylva and Speaker Ingobere’s Brass Local Government Area, on the other hand, has 533 uncollected PVCs.
Ogbia Town, Ward one (RA 01) has 533, while Otakeme, Ward 12 (RA 12), has a total of 545.
Nembe Local Government Area, the LGA of origin of the immediate past Deputy Governor of the state, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John-Jonah (rtd), and the State Chairman, APC, Dr Dennis Otiotio, is also in the Eastern Senatorial District of the state.
INEC said, Nembe, Ogbolomabiri III (RA 03), has a total of 694 uncollected PVCs, making a total of 7,045 uncollected PVCs for the State’s Eastern Senatorial District.
The electoral umpire, however, did not state the number of uncollected PVCs in former Governor (now Senator Henry Seriake Dickson’s Sagbama Local Government Area of origin.
The Tide gathered that Bayelsa West Senatorial District Comprises Ekeremor and Sagbama Local Government Areas.
Ekeremor, which The Tide further learnt is the Local Government Area of origin of the trio of the present Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, State PDP Chairman, Chief Solomon Agwana, and former Deputy Governor of the state, Chief Peremobowei Ebebi, according to the data by INEC, has a total of 1,233 uncollected PVCs in ‘Oporomor one’ (RA 06)
The Tide reports that further findings through the INEC statistics showed that Kolokuma/Opokuma, the Local Government Area of origin of the incumbent Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has 519 uncollected PVCs in Kaiama, ward 4 (RA 04), while in the governor’s immediate Registration Area, the Sampou/Kalama, Ward 6 (RA 06), has 3,133 uncollected PVCs.
Other Wards with uncollected PVCs in the Governor’s Local Government Area are, Kaiama/Olobiri, Ward 5 (RA 05), which has 609.
The Tide reports that the duo of Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa Local Government Areas, both of Governor Diri’s Central Senatorial District, cumulatively have the largest number of uncollected PVCs.
INEC gave the figures of uncollected PVCs in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Olodiama II (RA 04), as 1,187.
The Tide futher learnt that Southern Ijaw is the Local Government Area of origin of the APC’s Deputy Governorship candidate for the State’s 2023 governorship polls, Mr Jushua McIver.
Similarly, of all the afore mentioned Local Government Areas of the state with uncollected PVCs, Yenagoa Local Government Area, headquarters of the State’s Central Senatorial District, which is allegedly a PDP stronghold, has the highest number of uncollected PVCs.
In Yenagoa, according to INEC, Atissa one (RA 01) has 2,721; Atissa three (RA 03), 1,444; Epie one (RA 04), 4,319; Epie two (RA 05), 5,501; and Epie three (RA 06), 5,895, making a cumulative total of 25,328 uncollected PVCs for the Bayelsa State Central Senatorial District alone.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, has said the 850-bed hospital is overstretched, as it currently serves over five million patients.
He disclosed this on Friday during a media tour of the facility to showcase ongoing renovations and facelift in the hospital.
The CMD noted that, aside being the only tertiary healthcare facility servicing the state, UCTH also serviced neighbouring states of Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi.
He said the hospital also received referrals from neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.
According to him, the 850-bed hospital faced persistent space constraints because of increasing patients inflow and expanding healthcare demands.
“This hospital currently operates 62 clinical and non-clinical departments as well as between 30 and 38 wards covering medical, surgical, paediatric, orthopaedic and specialised services.
“Most wards have undergone facelift, remodelling, or complete renovation to improve patient care and working conditions for healthcare professionals”, he said.
He disclosed that the hospital was constructing a new 106-bed emergency medicine facility to address the rising demand for healthcare services.
According to him, the facility will include trauma bays, intensive care units, neonatal wards, and three fully equipped trauma theatres.
Speaking on the remodeled wards, Ikpeme explained that they followed modern nursing principles, allowing one nurse to attend to a maximum of 10 patients.
He said relatives would be restricted to designated waiting areas to reduce interference with medical procedures and improve emergency response efficiency.
The CMD noted that the hospital had strengthened specialist services in orthopaedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, radiology, and minimally invasive surgery.
“UCTH now performs hip and knee replacements, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and complex brain tumour surgeries.
“Our surgeons also conduct keyhole procedures for appendectomy, hysterectomy and other conditions with faster patient recovery periods,” he said
In power, the CMD said the hospital relied on solar power from a seven-megawatt plant, constructed by the Federal Government at the University of Calabar, as well as public power supply, and generators to sustain its operations.
He appealed to governments, organisations, and philanthropists to support infrastructure expansion, equipment procurement, and specialised healthcare projects.
The CMD said the hospital required additional incubators, ward expansions, and a stand-alone amenity facility for private healthcare services.
He used the opportunity to dismiss allegations of ethnic discrimination, insisting that the hospital does not reject workers or patients based on tribe or origin.
According to him, the institution recently honoured an Igbo pioneer physician by naming a ward after him in recognition of decades of service.
The CMD said the hospital maintained strict disciplinary procedures to address negligence, poor attitude, and unethical conduct among staff.
The Tide’s source reports that some of the units visited include, intensive care unit, Department of Radiology, Urology Clinic, and Opthalmology Clinic.
The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State says it has busted a child trafficking syndicate and arrested three suspects for conspiracy and unlawful sale of a newborn baby in the State.
The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfom John, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Friday, said the three female suspects were arrested on Wednesday at about 1900hrs.
She said a complainant reported that his wife gave birth to a baby boy on May 7 and shockingly, shortly after delivery sold the newborn child to one of the suspects for N145, 000.
“Upon receipt of the report, operatives immediately swung into action, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the successful recovery of the baby boy.
“The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation, while investigation has been expanded to identify and apprehend all individuals connected to the trafficking syndicate”, John said.
She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining aggressive intelligence-led policing in the state.
The Akwa-Ibom State Government has launched a statewide crackdown on unregistered scrap dealers and scavengers, shutting down illegal operations and arresting operators accused of violating environmental and public safety regulations.
The enforcement operation, led by the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), followed the implementation of the state’s Waste Metal Scrap Law 2026, officials said.
AKSEPWMA Chairman, Obong Prince Ikim, said the exercise was aimed at regulating the scrap sector, protect the environment, and prevent criminal groups from operating under the guise of waste collection and metal trading.
“If you want to do scrap business, you must register,” Mr. Ikim said during the operation in Uyo, the state capital.
“Many people now hide under scrap trading to perpetrate nefarious activities”, he said.
According to him, dump site operators and scrap dealers who failed to register with the government risked closure and prosecution.
Authorities accused some operators of involvement in vandalism of public infrastructure and indiscriminate waste disposal, adding that investigations had uncovered criminal activities linked to several dump sites across the state.
“Some people vandalise government facilities in the name of scrap business and encourage indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” Mr. Ikim said.
He added that the state government and security agencies would continue efforts to enforce compliance and maintain public order.
“The Commissioner of Police has zero tolerance for criminality, and the Governor wants Akwa Ibom people to sleep with their eyes closed. We will fish out every defaulter”, he said.
Police officials involved in the operation said investigations showed that some criminal suspects used scrap yards and refuse dump sites as cover for illegal activities.
CSP Okwuzulike Vincent of the Itam Police Station said some suspects pretended to be mentally unstable while hiding ammunition and other suspicious items in makeshift shelters around dump locations.
The police officer praised the environmental agency for what he described as proactive efforts to sanitise the sector and pledged continued cooperation between law enforcement and the agency.
Officials said some first-time offenders arrested during the operation were released after profiling and signing undertakings, while repeat offenders would face prosecution.
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