Rivers governor, Siminalayi Fubara has expressed confidence in Nigeria’s leadership under President Bola Tinubu, calling for support for his re-election to sustain ongoing reforms and development efforts.
Fubara made the remarks on Thursday at a meeting of the Southern Traditional Rulers Council in Port Harcourt, where monarchs from the 17 southern states gathered to discuss unity, security, and economic development.
The governor said that despite current challenges, the administration has recorded notable progress in economic recovery and infrastructure delivery, including projects such as the coastal road.
He stressed the importance of continuity in governance, stating that “it is not ideal to change the goalposts in the middle of the game”.
Fubara also urged stakeholders across the southern region to work together toward shared objectives, noting that unity remains key to sustainable development.
He added that the presence of traditional rulers at the meeting reflects Rivers State’s peaceful environment and its ability to host major national engagements.
Earlier, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, who chairs the Southern Traditional Rulers Council, said the gathering was aimed at promoting peace and strengthening unity across the region.
He noted that the council reflects Nigeria’s diversity, with more than 400 dialects spoken across the southern states, describing the meeting as a demonstration of unity in diversity.
Ogunwusi said the Port Harcourt session was the fourth in the series, following earlier meetings in Imo, Ogun, and Lagos states.
According to him, the forum provides an avenue for traditional rulers to engage on shared values and collective interests.
He also said the council would explore ways to support the current administration in addressing security and economic challenges, noting that participation, though voluntary, is important for national repositioning.
The meeting was attended by prominent traditional rulers from the South-South, South-East, and South-West, including the council’s co-chairman, Cletus Illomuanya, and the Olubadan of Ibadan, Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.
