Politics
Kalango Hails Wike’s Dev Strides
Rivers State Governor, Bar. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has been commended over the judicious management of scarce resources for the development of the state which has brought him accolades from even the opposition.
The Rivers State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Pastor O.D. Kalango made the assertion in an interview with The Tide in his office yesterday.
Pastor Kalango said that the level of infrastructural decay, roads, schools, hospitals which Wike inherited from the past administration could overwhelm anybody but not the steel-hearted like Governor Wike.
According to him the Governor who refused to be daunted with pressing needs in the state went ahead to confront road construction, rehabilitation of hospitals and re-introduction of boarding facilities to boost education in the state, even with the lean resources that greeted his administration.
Kalango described Wike as a man ready for governance as a full-blood Rivers son, saying that what he has achieved in one year is more people-oriented if compared to what past administration struggled to achieve for more years without appreciable impact on the lives and well-being of the entire residents of the state.
Kalango noted that there are no pot holes anywhere on the roads of the state-capital, Port Harcourt and praised the governor’s vision for re-introducing traffic lights on the highways for effective control of vehicular movement.
Pastor kalango while calling for total support for Wike administration noted that his union, NURTW is partnering the government to boost the state revenue base through collaborative effort with the Rivers State Board of Internal Revenue.
He said that the NURTW has held fruitful deliberation with the commissioners for Transport, Environment and Urban and Physical Development to map out the way forward, particularly on how to decongest the major highways in Port Harcourt metropolis for free flow of vehicular traffic.
The state NURTW boss who was quick to observe that not all commercial drivers were members of his union said that with the joint efforts of his union, the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC and the Port Harcourt City Local Government Council, road users are already attesting to the fact that there is free flow of traffic in the Port Harcourt metropolis.
Speaking further on Governor Wike’s strides in the education sector, Kalango cited the upgrading of the Rivers State College of Arts and Science to full-blown Polytechnic as a step in the right direction.
He said the move would engender employment and increase the opportunities open to residents of the state to access quality education.
Kalango further described Wike as a full-blooded Rivers son who has the desire and determination to improve the lot of the people of the state through verifiable developmental strides.
Citing the recent offer of amnesty to some misguided youth who are willing to eschew militancy and brigandage, Kalango described the move as a panacea to the reign of disturbances in the state and enjoined the youths to embrace it.
He however, noted that the scope of the state governments is limited in terms of ensuring security since state governors do not control the security apparatus in their various states.
Victor Tew
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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