Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has sued for a change in the current approach adopted by South South Governors in their pursuit to achieve holistic regional development and economic prosperity.

The governor insisted on de-emphasis in vested individuals’ political interests while looking at the bigger picture of achieving enduring regional integration that will strengthen unity of purpose to change the trajectory of development in the region.

Fubara made the appeal during the meeting of Governors of South-South States, under the auspices of BRACED Commission, at the Bayelsa State Government House in Yanagoa on Tuesday.

This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi.

BRACED is an acronym for Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta.

He said: “I want to appeal that if we have to succeed in this drive, we need to keep our political differences aside and understand that the struggle, as at today, is for posterity, for the development of our region.

“It is really sad that in Niger Delta that is the economic base of this country, the construction of a road that you tagged ‘East-West Road’ could be an issue, that we need to beg, protest, and complain to get it fixed. I don’t think it is proper.”

Governor Fubara stated that it is not that the federal authorities do not understand that Niger Delta needs the road but quickly added that they have seen that even the people of the region do not take themselves seriously.

The governor said the moment Niger Delta people stopped playing to the gallery, and place value on themselves, outsiders will have no option than to accord the region and its people due regard.

Fubara said: “On my part, I want to say this: This is not the first time we are meeting. For me, I followed the course of the region meeting in a forum that we tagged “BRACED Commission.”

“BRACED Commission is also one of the bodies that was constituted at that time to support and work out development strategies for this region. But what I am seeing today is just limiting this meeting to only BRACED COMMISSION.

“We need to widen the scope where other leaders of the region should be part of the discussion of the development of the region, and I think this is the direction that will help the region.”

Reading the Communique of the meeting, the new Chairman of the Forum of Governors of South-South States, and Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, said they support the Federal Government Tax Reform Bills, and urged President Bola Tinubu to extend the Value Added Tax (VAT) sharing percentages to oil and gas derivation.

He stated the Forum’s request to the Federal Government to urge relevant stakeholders and agencies to extend remediation of polluted environment ongoing in Ogoni land to other impacted communities and States in the region.

Governor Diri also said that the Forum resolved to establish a structural regional security network to enhance safety and security, foster stable Niger Delta region conducive for economic growth and prosperity.

Highlight of the event was the hosting of Governor Fubara to a surprise 50th Birthday celebration by the Governors of South-South States at the Government House in Yenagoa.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it will not be conducting admissions for Law programme in eight institutions  following the suspension of the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) programme.

A statement signed by the Public Communications Advisor of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, in Abuja on Wednesday, said the Council of Legal Education (CLE) for the 2025/2026 academic session had suspended law programmes for violating regulatory procedures.

Benjamin listed the affected universities as follows: Kwara State University, Malete, Kwara State, Bingham University, Karu, Nasarawa State, Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State and Western Delta University, Oghara, Delta State.

Others are Taraba State University, Jalingo, Taraba State, Arthur Jarvis University, Akpabuyo, Cross River State, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State and Nigerian Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State.

Benjamin said that the suspension of the Law programme at the Nigerian Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State, would last for two academic sessions, specifically, the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 sessions.

“As a result, JAMB will not approve any admissions for candidates seeking to enroll in the Law programme at the aforementioned universities for the 2025/2026 academic session.

” Furthermore, the ban on registration for the Law programme at the Nigerian Police Academy will extend into the 2026/2027 academic session,” he said.

The Rivers State chapter of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) on Tuesday marched through major roads and streets of Port Harcourt to celebrate peace and stability in Rivers State.

The PCRC commended the state  governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara’s commitment to peace.

The peace walk by PCRC was part of the activities to commemorate its 2025 Annual Peace Walk.

The PCRC members who converged at Isaac Boro Park as early as 7am, marched through Asarama Street to Old GRA, Forces Avenue, Azikiwe Road and terminated at the Government House Port Harcourt where they reiterated their commitment to serve humanity, and promote peace and security in the State.

Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the State Chairman of PCRC, Mr.Voke Emore, commended the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for prioritising peace and wellbeing of Rivers people.

He said the peace walk was to sensitise the public of the existence of PCRC and its role in the society.

Emore congratulated the governor on his 50th birthday anniversary and prayed to God to grant him more wisdom in handling the affairs of the state.

He called on Rivers people, especially the stakeholders in the state, to join in ensuring sustainable peace in the State.

He said, “We are here today for our 2025 annual peace walk. We want peace in Rivers State and Nigeria in extension. We have had a lot of issues, but we have enjoyed peace in Rivers State, and the PCRC has made it a point of call to ensure that peace remains in Rivers State, so we decided to take a match annually to tell Rivers people that peace is priceless and terror is senseless.

“As the Chief Security Officer of the State, we felt it was only proper that we stop by to receive your blessings before we start our regular activities for the year, and to also tell the government too of what we stand for. And that we are happy with what they are doing in keeping peace, how they have empowered the security, the police, the army and other sister agencies, among others.

“We also wish to assure you of our continued partnership and support to you and your government.

“And today happens to be the governor’s birthday which is a good coincidence for us, we also want to use this opportunity to wish the governor a happy birthday.”

He said further that, “The work of policing cannot be left to the Nigeria Police alone, hence the partnership between the Police and the PCRC, whose membership is made up of people drawn form every section of the society, covering every religious, political, regional divide and more.

“We advice all Rivers people especially the stakeholders maintain peace, no matter the political divide, Rivers State has been very peaceful thus far, which is quite amazing because when political tension stirs up you usually hear of killings left right and centre, but there is nothing like that so we applaud every party here, what we are asking for is that that peace is sustained. PCRC is ready to work with everybody to achieve this.

“This partnership is aimed at bridging the gap between the Police and the host communities, thereby engendering trust and mutual respect,” he said.

In his response, Governor Fubara, represented by the State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, thanked members of the PCRC for their role in promoting peace in the state through their partnership with the police and other security agencies.

He reiterated the State Government’s commitment to sustainable peace in the State.

While commending the PCRC for their services to humanity, he stated that, “the governor is highly committed to serving humanity. Everything he does had at it’s back,  humanity.

“You are aware of what he has done for Rivers people, starting from the civil servants, where he has raised the hope of many hopeless people.

“Because of the governor’s love for humanity, people that were denied promotion for years were promoted, and he has given promotion up to date, he has also paid their arrears. The governor has paid salaries of workers and other entitlements regularly. For two years now, Civil Servants also recieved N100.000 as Christmas bonus. This year he added retirees and public servants.”

Nwaeke noted that the PCRC’s Annual Peace Walk Day coincided with the governor’s birthday, saying, “28th of January is actually the governor’s birthday. Setting out that day for your peace walk means you are immortalising his name, I want to thank you for that kind gesture.”

He added, “Every Community in Rivers State should be able to assist the police by imbibing the spirit of community policing.”

Akujobi Amadi