Politics
Assembly Confirms Aguma, Others
A plenary session and the visit of the new Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Rivers State, Imoh Etuk, were among events that dominated activities in the Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA) last week.
Nonetheless, the Assembly Complex in Port Harcourt was besieged by protesting public primary school teachers.
All those took place last Thursday amidst jubilation at the Assembly Complex following Tribunal victories in favour of some lawmakers involved in the December 10, 2016 re-run election in the state.
First, the Assembly, in plenary last Thursday, screened and confirmed the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Emmanuel Aguma (SAN) as commissioner designate in the state.
The House, also in the same plenary, screened and confirmed chairmen and members of Caretaker Committees (CTCs) for Abua/Odual and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas of the state.
The CTC Chairmen designates for the two LGAs include Mr Oladipo Ogu and Mr Charles Chima Orlu for Abua/Odual and Port Harcourt LGAs, respectively.
Unlike the CTC Chairmen and members who were thoroughly grilled by the House, the Commissioner Designate, Emmanuel Aguma (SAN) was only asked to take a bow and go .
However, the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, appealed to the commissioner designate to look into the situation where tyres are used in burning meat by butchers in the state.
Ibani urged the commissioner designate to speedily implement aspects of the law regarding tyre burning in the state, if sworn-in as Commissioner for Justice in the state.
The Assembly same day, quized the Managing Director of Halliburton Energy Services, Mr Henry Okey and the Human Resources Manager of the company, Mrs Ijeoma Suzzy over alleged systematic discrimination of Rivers indigenes in the company.
The managing director and the human resources manager were summoned to appear before the House to defend the petition from some staff of the company for alleged unlawful dismissal and retirement of some indigenes of the state without any compensation.
However, the Assembly Speaker announced the resolution of the House requesting the company’s management to re-appear before the House with some vital documents like nominal roll, list of retired and retrenched staff, list of top management staff and document showing the redundancy policy of the company in the state. Though, the MD of the company, Mr Okey and the Human Resources Manager, Mrs Suzzy, denied all the allegations, promising that Rivers indigenes in the company would not be discriminated against in the state.
Immediately after the plenary, the speaker, in company of two lawmakers, hosted the FRSC delegation led by Etuk in his office.
Interacting with them, Ibani charged them to be proactive in discharging their statutory duties to reduce road accidents in the state.
The speaker lauded the Governor of the state, Chief Nyesom Wike for embarking on massive road construction and rehabilitation that has helped to reduce the work load of the FRSC in the state.
He stressed the need for the corps to intensify efforts to drastically reduce road accidents in Rivers State.
The FRSC sector commander in the state had earlier said the visit to the House was to seek the support of the legislative arm for awareness and legislative backing on the behaviours of some road users in the state.
Same last Thursday, public primary school teachers blocked the entrance to the state House of Assembly Complex over a purported move to transfer pay rolls of primary school teachers back to the local government authorities in the state.
Enoch Epelle
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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