Politics
N’Delta Govs, US Partner On Oil Theft
Governors from the nine Niger Delta States converged in Port Harcourt recently for a bilateral technical meeting with officials of the United States Embassy to brainstorm on ways to end oil theft in the country.
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and Adams Oshiomole of Edo State were the only State Chief Executives who attended the meeting in person, Ondo State was represented by a Commissioner while Abia State sent his Deputy. Governors of Akwa-Ibom, Delta and Cross River were absent at the meeting.
Okorocha spoke to newsmen shortly after the meeting, hinting that the forum was an initiative of President Goodluck Jonathan and President Barack Obama on how to curb the swelling oil theft in the country.
The Imo State Governor advocated for more powers to be given to state governors in overseeing security machinery for monitoring oil installations.
House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Petroleum-Downstream, Dakuku Peterside called for synergy between countries and states. He also called for political will on the part of government.
Peterside warned that if no proactive measures were taken, crude oil theft would persist and perhaps dwindle the economic fortunes of the country, since most of the country’s revenue comes from oil.
Meanwhile, Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari and Senator Magnus Abe spoke on the Soku oil wells now ceded to Bayelsa State surreptitiously by the Boundary Commission.
Mrs Semenitari accused the federal authorities for failing on an agreement by breaking into an ESCROW account and paying Bayelsa State the monies from the contested oil wells. Senator Abe said all Rivers people must support Governor Amaechi in making sure the oil wells were returned to the state.
Commenting on whether the defection of Amaechi to APC had closed any reconciliatory window between him and President Jonathan, Mrs Semenitari said, “you can never say never in any situation. I believe that the governor of Rivers State is first of all a Rivers – man, but he is also a Nigerian and has regards for the office of the President”.
Governor Amaechi returned to the state on Tuesday and attended a Night of Glory Praise and Worship held at the Civic Centre.
He thanked the citizenry for attending the gathering and recalled the travails he and his wife had gone through during the political crisis.
He told the Christian gathering that he was sure to triumph over his detractors and assured that even he and his wife would come out united and inseparable at last.
On Wednesday morning, the Governor swore in nine new Permanent Secretaries. He charged them to be transparent and abide by the rules and conduct of service.
Later on Wednesday afternoon, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by its Deputy Speaker Leyii Kwanee, addressed Government House reporters, emphasising that they had accepted an Abuja High Court judgement revoking the powers of the National Assembly to preside over the affairs of the House of Assembly in Rivers State.
Corroborating Kwanee, the House Committee Chairman on Judiciary, Hon Golden Chioma, hinted that on Thursday, the lawmakers would visit the Rivers police –authorities to enable members have access to the Assembly Complex.
On Thursday morning, the lawmakers were barred by mobile policemen, who barricaded the entrance of the Assembly complex. Both the lawmakers and government officials were dispersed by the police with tear gas.
On Wednesday evening, a statement from the office of the Chief Press Secretary had announced the sack of Commissioner for Urban Planning and Development, Dr Tammy Danagogo. He was asked to handover to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry.
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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