The apex Niger Delta socio-political body, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has urged President Bola Tinubu to recall Rivers State governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and State Assembly.
The regional body, while commending the president for signing of the South-South Development Commission Bill into law, said the president should listen to the calls of Nigerians and restore River State back to its normal democratic governance.
National chairman of the pan South South body, Ambassador Dr. Godknows Boladei Igali, said the “PANDEF is hopeful that based on the sustained nationwide appeals and genuine concerns from virtually every corner of the country over the suspension of the Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the Deputy Governor and the State Assembly, Mr President would graciously accord urgent attention to restoration of the State back to its normal democratic governance by immediately recalling the Governor, Deputy Governor and the State Assembly.”
Thanking the president for the development commission in the region, the national chairman of PANDEF said the president’s action has boosted the confidence of the Niger Delta people in the commitment of the federal government to promote even regional development across the country
Tinubu signed the South-South Development Commission Bill into law March 25 2025.
Commending the National Assembly for the timely completion of work on this piece of legislation, Igali said “This singular action has boosted the confidence of our people in the commitment of the Federal Government to promote even regional development across the country and; in particular, to address the peculiar social, environmental, and developmental challenges facing our region.
“PANDEF is hopeful that in setting up this new Commission, Mr President will carefully select competent and tested hands with cognate skills and experience to ensure that this body plays its complementary role to the efforts of our Governors in delivering sustainable development to the region, which continues to contribute immensely to the sustenance of the Nigerian national economy for decades,” the former ambassador said.
Igali however reiterated that other outstanding issues, especially environmental remediation from negative impact of oil and gas production as well as acute deficit in basic infrastructure which constitute existential threat to the South-South, would be treated as priority.
