Politics
PDP Chieftain Scores FG Low On Nigerians’ Welfare … Hails Fubara Over CTC Appointment
Against the current hard ship and hunger being endured by Nigerians, a notable grassroots politician and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, Pastor Joe Opanwa, says All Progressives Congress (APC) administration at the federal level is confused about how to tackle Nigeria’s economic and political challenges, especially poverty and insecurity.
Speaking with newsmen in Port-Harcourt recently, Pastor Opanwa said that Nigeria’s economic and political situation need to be overhauled to bring the expected dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
He maintained that, “This current Nigerian government under the administration of President Bola Tinubu remains a retrogressive one.
“Most of what they claim as growth is but the harsh redistribution of wealth from the bottom to the top.The bottom gets squeezed while the top expands. They are serving us the salad of hardship, hunger, corruption, insecurity and deaths”.
Pastor Opanwa said that the APC-led Federal Government promised peace, economic stability, abundant food, creation of jobs for Nigerians and security of lives and property, but noted that under its’ unwatchful eye’, insecurity, hunger and injustice have grown and Boko Haram/herders onslaught, among other insurgencies has turned large tracts of Northern Nigeria into ‘ no man’s land ‘.
He said that in the face of the economic crunch bedeviling Nigeria currently, there is no need for President Tinubu to continue in 2027 as the country’s president.
Pastor Opanwa, a stalwart of the Simplified Movement in the LGA, who also aspires for the position of Chairman of Oyigbo LGA in the scheduled October 5, 2024 Local Government election, further said that, “As leaders in Nigeria, we intend to pursue dynamic, time- tested and bold policies and programmes that will liberate our people by making sure our wealth works for all of us.”
He stated that Nigerians had become increasingly divided as a people because the APC-led federal government continues to take faulty steps in addressing poverty, hardship, hunger, insecurity, injustice and deaths, adding that, “They have ignored the cause and gone after the symptoms.”
The Chairmanship hopeful of the PDP in the area, urged the Federal Government to apply consistent policies and programmes of targeted law enforcement operations along with active programmes of economic development, negotiations and potential amnesty to lead Nigerians out of the present dire condition.
“The Bola Tinubu government set up multidimensional development committees, but all to no avail. This is symtomatic of a confused leadership.
If there is security in this jumbled policies and programmes of Bola Tinubu’s government, neither we nor the majority of Nigerians can find it”, he said.
He described the fact that those who control the system manipulate elections and governance with such impunity that they now see misconduct without sanction as a normal thing to happen.
Meanwhile, Pastor Joe Opanwa, has commended Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara over the appointment of Engr. Gogo Philip as Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Oyigbo Local Government Area.
He described the appointment as remarkable and a call to service of Oyigbo people for them to benefit from the dividends of democracy that had eluded them previously due to bad leadership in the area.
Pastor Opanwa, however, urged Engr. Philip and his team to operate an open door policy in governance, where quality contributions to the way forward of the LGA and its people can be made.
Bethel Toby
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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