Politics
Wike Dedicates Victory To Rivers People
Activities in Government House, last week, opened with a family Thanksgiving Service by Gov Wike and his family yesterday.
At the event which held in Salvation Ministries Headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Gov said his victory is victory for the state and urged Rivers people to see it as a mark of new beginning.
“ Nobody has won and nobody has lost the elections. But Rivers State has won.
“ I forgive anyone that has wronged me and I also ask for forgiveness from those that I have wronged “, he stated, noting that he was in the church to thank God for His faithfulness in the face of fierce political battles during the 2019 General Elections.
Another major event in Brick House last week was the fall of the Governor’s hammer on twelve local government chairmen in the state.
The twelve council chairmen were suspended and asked to handover to their deputies for failing to attend a state function Wednesday in Government House.
The Governor’s big stick is coming on the heels of his warning to those occupying positions of trust in the state that it would not be business as usual. The affected council chairmen are those of Okrika, Emohua, Abua/Odual, Degema, Khana, Gokana, and Ahoada East
Others are: Ikwerre, Eleme, Andoni, Omuma and Ogu/Bolo.
Wike notified the Rivers State House of Assembly of the suspension of the chairmen through a letter to the Speaker of the House with the title ‘ Notice of Suspension of Twelve Local Government Council’, and premised his action on Section 64 (3) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018.
Wike has set up a 233- member committee to organise the fourth Anniversary Thanksgiving Service of his First term and inauguration of his second term.
The Committee which is headed by the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Okpara was charged by the Governor to see it as opportunity to render service to the state.
Okpara who thanked the Governor for considering the appointees worthy assured that they would organise standard event that would make the state and Nigeria happy, stressing that Gov Wike’s administration deserves to be celebrated.
Wike, last week, vowed the readiness of the state government to frontally tackle cult-related violence and killings in some parts of the state.
Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Monday when the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers paid him a congratulatory visit on his reelection, Wike said his administration would take the fight to the cultists.
He appealed to the traditional rulers to partner the state government in the fight to make the state peaceful and attract investors.
Later same day, the Governor played host to the principal officers and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who also paid him a congratulatory visit over his reelection victory.
The Governor urged them to recommit and rededicate themselves to service to the people of the state. He also advised members to refrain from lobbying for positions and let the leadership of the party consider who occupies which positions.
He said: “If you know what we passed through, the victory must humble everybody. Recommit and rededicate yourselves to service to the people”.
Another major event last week in Government House was the presentation of Certificate of Return to Gov Wike by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The National Commissioner in charge of Rivers, Bayelsa and Edo States, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu who represented Chairman of INEC, presented the certificate of return to the Rivers State Governor.
The Deputy Governor, Dr lpalibo Harry Banigo and elected House of Assembly members also received their certificates of return.
Chris Oluoh
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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