Politics
Group Tasks Stakeholders On Democracy
The Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD) has called for urgent action by all players to save the nation’s democracy from looming danger.
A statement by the state Executive Director of the centre, Mr Abdullahi Omaki, yesterday in Abuja noted that some recent developments in the polity ahead of the 2019 general elections were threatening “democracy itself and our collective aspiration for a stable and progressive nation’’.
It highlighted the issues to include the leadership crisis in the National Assembly (NASS), the gale of political defections, the lingering insurgency in the northeast and the “pervasive insecurity across the country’’.
The group stated that the August 7 invasion of the NASS complex by DSS operatives was rooted in realignment of forces by political actors jostling for elective political positions in 2019.
It said the wave of defections was driven by lack of ideological base and internal democracy by the political parties.
These, in addition to the fear of possible leadership changes in both chambers of NASS, are at the heart of current events that have heated up the polity, according to SCDDD.
It said, “Related to the foregoing is the pervasive insecurity across the country. Leading this basket of challenges is the resurgence of insurgency in the Northeast.
“This is accompanied by banditry and related criminal activities, horrendous attacks and killings as a result of the herders/farmers conflicts and cattle rustlings in Zamfara, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Kaduna, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Katsina and Sokoto states.
“The pervasive restiveness in the South-South is another. There is also the rise of armed robberies and kidnappings for ransom across the country.
“The astronomical rise of IDPs as a result of these acts remains worrisome as these cumulative security challenges portend great threats not only for the 2019 elections but national cohesion, safety and survival of our dear country.’’
To avert trouble, the body called on the Federal Government to urgently address the frosty relationship between and among the security agencies.
It underscored the need for the security agencies to see themselves as “national institutions whose acts and conducts must reflect national concerns rather than getting unduly attached to the government of the day”.
SCDDD urged the agencies to operate within the ambit of the nation’s laws and the Constitution, and subordinate themselves to democratic institutions of the land.
“The penchant for their being drafted into constitutional matters must be halted except in such grave circumstances for which the constitution provides appropriate levels of responsibilities,’’ it said.
Savannah Centre also called on political party leaders to strictly adhere to due process and uphold high standards of civility in conducting their affairs to inspire confidence in their followers.
“Statements emanating from political party leadership must be devoid of brazen acts of insensitivity, tantamount to hate speech that now dots Nigeria’s political landscape without minding their destructive consequences in Rwanda, Cote d’ivoire and Kenya in recent times.
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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