Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has declared that Nigeria is in capable hands under President Bola Tinubu, calling for his re-election to consolidate ongoing reforms and development efforts.
Fubara made the call on Thursday while declaring open the meeting of the Southern Traditional Rulers Council in Port Harcourt on Thursday, where monarchs from the 17 southern states converged to deliberate on issues of unity, security, and economic development.A cross-section of traditional rulers at the Southern Traditional Rulers Council meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on April 23, 2026.
The governor said the current administration is making notable progress in reviving the economy and delivering critical infrastructure, including coastal road projects, despite existing challenges.
He stressed that continuity in leadership is necessary, noting that “it is not ideal to change the goalposts in the middle of the game.”
Governor Fubara urged stakeholders across the region to work collectively toward shared aspirations, insisting that the South must remain united to achieve sustainable development.
He added that the gathering of monarchs underscored the peaceful disposition of Rivers State and its readiness to host high-profile national engagements.The Ooni of Ife and Governor Fubara at the event.
Earlier, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, who chairs the Southern Traditional Rulers Council, said the meeting was convened to foster peace and strengthen unity across the region.
He noted that the council reflects Nigeria’s diversity, with over 400 dialects spoken across the southern states, describing the gathering as a demonstration of unity in diversity.
According to him, the Port Harcourt meeting is the fourth in the series, following earlier sessions held in Imo, Ogun, and Lagos states.
He said the forum provides an opportunity for traditional rulers to discuss shared values and common interests that bind the people together.
The monarch added that the council would also deliberate on ways to support the current administration in addressing security and economic challenges, emphasising that participation in the meeting is voluntary but crucial for repositioning the region and the country at large.
The meeting is attended by eminent traditional rulers across the South-South, South-East, and South-West, including the co-chairman of the council, the Obi of Obinugwu, Eze Cletus Illomuanya, and the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.
