Politics
‘Save APC From Okorocha’
Imo State All Progressives Congress Stakeholders Forum has pleaded with the party´s National Working Committee(NWC) to intervene in the crisis currently rocking its ranks.
The Chairman of the forum, Mr Oke Ikoro, made the plea last Wednesday in Abuja when a delegation of the forum visited the NWC.
According to him, APC in Imo has been appropriated by Goveernor Rochas Okorocha, who ´´ has completely privatised the party through his activities.
Ikoro said there was so much anger, acrimony and bitterness among party members.
´´This is why we have come here to lend our grievances to the NWC, we came to express our disappointment on the leadership of Governor Rochas Okorocha, his activities and the APC under him.
´´ We didn´t want to say this with word of mouth but we have put it in writing so that you can have a critical look at it after we had gone,´´ he said.
Ikoro said that the stakeholders had to bring the matter to NWC after trying without success to address it at the state level.
He alleged that some of the governor´s actions in the state were not friendly and were forcing members out of the party rather than bringing membership to the fold.
Ikoro said the actions included the demolition of markets and indiscriminate revocation of land titles without due process.
He also criticised the governor´s plan to install his son-in-law as the next governor of Imo.
Ikoro said ´´all we are saying is that due process should be followed and that the state funds should not be wasted.´´
According to him, people are exiting from the party because of the highhandedness of the governor.
´´ We are calling on the party leadership to call the governor to order and to separate the party from him,´´ he said.
Ikoro expressed optimism that as the highest organ of the party empowered to bring peace and unity, the matter would be addressed by the NWC.
´´Furthermore, on Saturday, the ward congresses of the party will start and we know that what the governor is planning is to hijack the process,´´ he said.
He alleged that the governor`s plan was to influence the congress by ensuring that his cronies were put in elective offices.
He said that the party leadership should intervene to prevent the governor from hijacking the process.
In his response, the APC National Chairman, Chief Odigie-Oyegun, said there was nothing to celebrate in the report.
He said that the saving grace was that the stakeholders were all dedicated and did not storm out of the party.
He said Imo State must lead in the South- East to ensure the party´s electoral victory in 2019 and as such the unity of the party was critical to achieve the goal.
´´ Some controversies are necessary to bring about unity that will bring victory, together Imo state will be almost a certainty but we will be in deep trouble if we are divided.
´´Without any prejudice, I want to assure you that we, on our side, will do everything possible to take up your complaints and reservations.
´´We will talk to the other side so that an acceptable compromise and understanding is reached to make it possible for us to work as one party and one political fighting force.
´´I am certainly not unaware of the issues; as the party’s national chairman, all these things end up directly or indirectly on my desk,” he said.
The party chairman added that whatever the rights and the wrongs of both sides were, victory could only come through unity.
He said that to get unity, there must be justice, adding: “while am insisting on a united fighting force, I also insist that there is justice.”
Odigie-Oyegun said that as far as the coming party congresses were concerned, the leadership was determined to ensure free, fair and level playing field for all aspirants in spite of what anyone thought.
He charged the stakeholders to prove their worth by ensuring that the right things were done and that true reconciliation was achieved in the party in Imo.
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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