Politics
Rivers 2015: Ogonis, Etche, Ijaw Eye Governorship
As the 2015 general elec
tions draw nearer, political atmosphere is getting charged with many ethnic nationalities in Rivers State justling for the governorship of the state.
A pressure group in Ogoni land, Ogoni Democratic Movement (ODM) said at the weekend that the time was ripe for Ogonis to produce the next governor of the state.
Speaking during a courtesy visit on the president of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People in the United States of America (MOSOP-USA), Mr Dumka Baabel at Atlanta-Georgia, USA, the President-General of ODM, Hon Godwin Bazari noted that since the creation of Rivers State in 1967, no indigene of Ogoni has governed as the executive governor, deputy governor, or even the speaker of the State House of Assembly.
“We all know that since the creation of Rivers State in 1967, no Ogoni person has been given the opportunity to be the executive governor of the state, deputy governor, or even the speaker of the State House of Assembly. The political marginalization of Ogonis has continued and it is time to appeal to other ethnic groups in the state to support the project,” the ODM President-General said.
Responding, President of MOSOP-USA, Mr. Dumka Baabel welcomed the ODM’s vision, saying, “MOSOP USA supports the Project 2015, which is a pet project of MOSOP Nigeria. We will work to ensure that major political parties in Nigeria nominate an Ogoni as standard bearer in the 2015 Rivers Governorship election.”
Meanwhile, the people of Etche ethnic nationality under the aegis of Etche Peoples Liberation Congress (EPLC) has also canvassed for the zoning of the governorship to Etche.
Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently, the congress said that the people of Etche would support any of their sons with governorship ambition in the state.
The leader of the group, Comrade Haphet Ogbueri, premised the group’s agitation on the contributions of the Etche ethnic nationality, comprising of Etche and Omuma Local Government Areas to the economy of the nation.
According to him, Etche has contributed over 300 billion dollars in more than 40 years of prolonged and uninterrupted oil exploration without commensurate development in terms of infrastructure, wealth creation and human empowerment.
“It is only Etche that has been discriminated against in federal appointments among contemporary oil producing ethnic groups.
“No Etche son or daughter has been captured in any of the 536 boards of ministries departments and agencies of federal government” he said.
In the same vein, the Ijaw Democratic Front (IDP) in Rivers State has called on the people of the state to support any person from Ijaw ethnic nationality as the next governor of the state.
Speaking through the coordinator of the group, Mr Robinson Kenneth in Port Harcourt, last week, the group noted that the Ijaw extraction which comprises Kalabari, Okrika, Andoni and other riverine ethnics nationalities has not produced a governor since the creation of the state.
Mr Kenneth called on the leadership of all political parties in the state to field Ijaw persons as their candidates for the forthcoming governorship election schedule for February, 28, saying the gesture would bring about unity equity and justice in the state.
L-R: Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Mr Taiwo Alimi and former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande at the Yoruba Assembly meeting on 2014 National Conference in Ibadan, last Thursday. Photo: NAN
Enoch Epelle & John Bibor
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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