Politics
Dickson Warns Against Political Violence
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson, last Friday warned against killings and violence during political campaigns, as the State celebrates the 7th edition of the Annual Thanksgiving Day.
The Special Adviser to the governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei quoted the governor to have made the comment at the Annual Thanksgiving event held at the 15,000-seater Ecumenical Centre, Igbogene, Yenagoa.
Governor Dickson stressed that power only comes from God and warned unscrupulous elements planning to destabilise the hard-earned peace in the state to desist from such acts.
He urged the political class to go about their campaigns in a peaceful manner devoid of violence, thuggery and focus more on issues bordering on the stability, development peace and security of the state.
Dickson was joined by the Archbishop of the Church of God Mission International, Archbishop Margaret Idahosa, Senior Pastor, House on the Rock, Pastor Paul Adefarasin, the Presiding Bishop of Logos Ministries International Church, Bishop Yomi Isijola, the Senior Pastor Royal House òf Grace, Apostle Zilly Aggrey and other men of God to mark the 7th edition of the Bayelsa Annual Thanksgiving Day Anniversary.
He said: “There is something very important that I wish to say here. Bayelsa is a blessed land. It is rated one of the most peaceful states in the country. Our state is one of the fastest developing in Nigeria.
“As we go into effective politicking, politicians should know that power comes only from the Almighty God. Our politicians should note that you don’t get power by violence, you don’t get political control because you are a deadlier killer. People should go about their campaigns without disrupting the peace and stability of the state.
“I urge you all to pray against a few criminal elements plotting to cause mayhem in the state. They are plotting to buy guns for young people and cultists to kill innocent people, they want to destabilize our state, we should pray that God should shut out such people.”
Describing the celebration as an opportunity for Bayelsans to renew their covenant of blessings with God, the governor called on the people to cultivate the habit of thanksgiving to attract more blessings.
His words: “What we do here in Bayelsa permeates from Arogbo in the Western frontiers of the Ijaw nation to Eastern Ibeno in Akwa Ibom, all we do here affect the entire Ijaw nation. I congratulate all Bayelsans on the 7th anniversary of thanksgiving. In the new Bayelsa, all good human being who come here, who do well are all Bayelsans.
Dickson said that his administration was able to achieve so much because real men of God assembled to hand over the state to God after a solemn assembly.
He said that Bayelsa was the only state in the country with a policy declaring a public holiday to give quality thanksgiving to God.
Governor Dickson, who thanked Bayelsans and residents of the state for their continued support and prayers for his administration, also used the opportunity to empathize with flood victims, assuring that, the government would continue to identify with them in their plight.
“As we currently gather here, over 70 percent of the state is under water, the state is below sea level. We again offer formal concerns to all those affected by the flood in all the councils and the camps.
“I have moved round the state to visit, and encourage our people who are affected by the flood. We have tried the little we can to support and encourage you.
“We also appreciate men of good will, churches, religious bodies, professionals, doctors and all those who made donations and offered support to the victims.
“I assure the victims that you are not forgotten in this hour of need. We thank you for your resilience, the Bayelsa spirit of perseverance. We thank God, it could have been worse. Whole communities and societies have been wiped out by natural disasters. Ours is not like that.
By: Elizabeth Vincent, Yenagoa
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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