Siminalayi Fubara said on Thursday that Nigeria is in capable hands under President Bola Tinubu and called for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 to consolidate reforms and development efforts. He made the remarks in Port Harcourt as he declared open the meeting of the Southern Traditional Rulers Council.
Monarchs from the 17 southern states gathered in the Rivers State capital to discuss unity, security and economic development, with the meeting drawing traditional rulers from the South-South, South-East and South-West. Among those present were the council’s co-chairman, the Obi of Obinugwu, Eze Cletus Illomuanya, and the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.
Fubara said the current administration was making notable progress in reviving the economy and delivering critical infrastructure, including coastal road projects, despite existing challenges. He added that “it is not ideal to change the goalposts in the middle of the game,” and urged stakeholders across the region to work together toward shared aspirations.
The Rivers governor said the South must remain united if it is to achieve sustainable development, and said the gathering itself showed that Rivers State is peaceful and ready to host high-profile national engagements. Ooni of Ife Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi said the meeting was convened to foster peace and strengthen unity across the region, and described the Port Harcourt session as the fourth in the series after earlier meetings in Imo, Ogun and Lagos states.
For Fubara, the message was plain: keep the country’s current course, keep the South aligned and keep the reforms moving. The question now is whether southern leaders and traditional rulers will translate that call into a common political position ahead of 2027.
