Politics
2023: Shun Violence, Electoral Malpractices, NOA Urges Nigerians
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called on Nigerians to shun all forms of violence and electoral malpractices such as selling and buying of votes at the upcoming 2023 general elections.
Speaking at the 2022 Corruption Tori Anti-Corruption Icons Awards held at the weekend to commemorate this year’s Anti-Corruption Day, the Director General, NOA, Dr Garba Abari, urged Nigerians to imbibe national core values which centre on patriotism, social justice, religious tolerance and those positive values that are enshrined in the constitution to make them better citizens and promote unity in the country.
Abari who was represented by Kenneth Onyejepu, Director Procurement at NOA, said “now we are educating people on the need to vote and participate in the upcoming elections because it is their right to vote, we are telling them not to sell their votes and eschew every form of corrupt practices like selling votes, vote buying and shun every form of election violence.”
He pointed out that corruption was not limited to the abuse of political power but can be found at every level of society, adding that it was the reason the agency has embarked on a campaign on ethics and integrity in schools to catch the young ones to get them to know that there are good values that they can imbibe to shun corruption at their stage.
In his address, the Executive Officer, Signature Communications Ltd, VinMartin Obiora Ilo said that to secure a feat over corruption was by tackling the problem at the grassroots and by drying its source.
Ilo stated that more focus should be on the grassroots because corruption usually recruits its army from the lower level of society, many of whom are misguided in their effort for social, political or economic upward mobility, adding that those who pull through begin to set the corruption value at the top.
He pointed out that the present language of the anti-corruption messages is elitist, speaking above those who provide recruits for the corruption, stating that “if we speak in their language, they could get converted out of the culture of corruption-endorsement, encouragement or active engagement.”
According to him, like the behaviour of animals in the wild, corruption creates a tendency for those afflicted by it, to take, protect self, create a storehouse away from others, protect and favouring either their brood or their kind, hence the world Anti-Corruption Day, a day set aside by the United Nations to draw universal attention to corruption, its dangers and how to address it.
He said: “Our humanity is anchored on shared prosperity, shared protection, shared opportunities, the bedrock of fairness, equity and justice. Unfortunately, corruption violates the essence of our humanity and reduces us to accumulating, favouring and only self-protecting animals”.
He noted that as the global community marked World Anti-Corruption Day, Signature Communications Ltd had decided to share experiences, compare notes and seek collective and effective approaches to addressing corruption and enhancing our humanity as well as evaluating its modest effort in the past four years of entering the trench in the war against corruption in Nigeria.
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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