Politics
2015: Ijaw Women, PDP Chieftain Reject Wike
Cross section of participants during the International Conference on Democracy and Good Governance, organised by the Rivers State Government in Port Harcourt, recently. Photo: Egberi .A. Sampson
Reactions have started
trailing the purported endorsement of the supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike for the 2015 governorship election in Rivers State.
Some groups at a meeting in Omoku, in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers, last Monday, threw their weight behind the alleged governorship ambition of the minister on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Some of the groups, according to sources, include the Etche, Ndoni, Ogoni Alliance which endorsed Wike as the PDP’s sole candidate.
But in a quick response to the endorsement, a chieftain of PDP, Chief Sara Igbe, warned that the party might lose Rivers State if it endorses Wike as its governorship candidate for the 2015 governorship election.
Igbe said the party should not make a mistake of endorsing a candidate from Ikwerre ethnic nationality, particularly when the incumbent Governor Chibuike Amaechi is from Ikwerre ethnic nationality and he is about to end his eight years tenure.
According to him, it would be a disservice to other ethnic groups in the state for another Ikwerre man to become governor and serve another eight years, saying Rivers people were not comfortable with such arrangement.
“If Wike is fielded as the PDP governorship candidate in 2015 election in Rivers State, then, there will be a protest vote and that protest vote might affect PDP’’, he warned.
Meanwhile, Ijaw women under the aegis of Ijaw Women Forum (IWF) in Rivers State, have vowed to mobilise Rivers people against the governorship ambition of the supervising Minister of Education. Chief Wike who according to reports, was eyeing Rivers State governorship position in 2015.
The spokesperson of the IWF and women leader of the Ijaw Youth Congress, (IYC), Eastern zone, Rivers State, Mrs. Recheal Erastus Adasi said that, it was unacceptable, unfair, and against commonsense that Wike, an Ikwerre man would succeed another Ikwerre man in person of Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi after ruling for eight years.
Speaking at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) regional conferemce in Port Harcourt, the women’s spokesperson stated that rather than another Ikwerre man, the next governor of the state should come from the Ijaw extraction which comprises Kalabari, Okrika, Bonny, Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas of the state.
However, Rivers Mainstream Coalition (RMC), has advised members of the PDP and the public to disregard the alleged endorsement of Wike by the PDP, saying, the party has not endorsed a candidate for the 2015 governorship election.
According to RMC’s coordinator, Mr Sotonye Ijuye Dagogo, the minister’s friends can support his ambition,that does not mean the party has endorsed him as the party’s candidate”.
The Rivers State Chairman of the PDP,Brother Felix Obuah has, also dismissed the reports that the party may have endorsed Wike as its governorship candidate, saying, the party would give all interested candidates a level playing ground to contest the primaries.
According to him,everybody has the right to contest for any position in the state, adding that the party would not restrict any candidate from contesting.
Enoch Epelle
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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