Politics
Wike Wins African Award In Sports
The All Africa Senior Badminton Championship hosted in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, dominated events last week in Government House, Port Harcourt.
At the opening ceremony of the tournament, last Monday at the Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre in Port Harcourt, the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, described sports as a veritable tool for unity, cooperation and socio- economic development.
The Governor, who was represented at the event by his Deputy, Dr Ipalibo Banigo, expressed delight to host Africa, 19 years after the last time Nigeria hosted the championship in Bauchi in 2000.
He charged participants to be proud of their heritage as Africans and to use the opportunity to bond on brotherhood and to change the negative narrative about Africa.
Wike said: “ I would like you to use this opportunity to know yourselves and develop brotherhood, sisterhood and continue to make this great continent of ours , the continent that everybody will desire to come to.
“ It will no longer be the continent that negative things are spoken about, it will be a continent that can showcase a lot of things that will attract great talents like yourselves and showcase a lot of things that will attract the whole world to want to be with us”.
In his welcome address, the President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih, noted that the Rivers State model for sports development is a worthy example other states in Nigeria refer to in their sports development plan and thanked the President of the Badminton Confederation Africa for making it possible for Nigeria to host the championship.
The President of the Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA), Mr Tukebana Bua, promised that he would make sure that the best countries host their major events and thanked Governor Wike for making the hosting of the 2019 All Africa Senior Championships a reality.
Last Saturday, BCA leadership paid a courtesy visit to Governor Wike in Government House, Port Harcourt.
During the visit, Bua who led the delegation announced Wike’s nomination for the prestigious Platinum Award for Distinguished Service to Sports in Africa.
According to Bua, the award is in recognition to Governor Wike’s passion and huge support for the growth of sports in the continent.
He said: “ We acknowledge your support and passion for Badminton in Africa. For this reason, the Badminton Confederation Africa Board resolved to honour you with the prestigious award for your distinguished service to sports in Africa.
Wike in his response commended the leadership of BCA for choosing Rivers State as host and promised to sustain the effort if his administration in sports development.
He also commended the delegation for the award and stressed that the countries that participated in the championship would become ambassadors to the state.
Also last week, Governor Wike clarified his position on the new minimum wage recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he would pay whatever amount approved by Federal Government.
Wike, spoke through the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Barr Emma Okah.
The suspension of some local government chairmen in the state by Governor Wike, was last week rectified by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Recall that Governor Wike , penultimate Thursday, announced the suspension of 12 council chairmen for failure to attend state functions.
He sent a request to the House of Assembly to seal the action. The request which was adopted and debated got the approval and official seal of the lawmakers.
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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