Former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, has spoken publicly on the defection of Governor Siminalayi Fubara from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as timely and beneficial to the state.
Odili said the governor’s decision has strategically positioned Rivers State closer to the centre of power, a development he noted would open more opportunities for growth and accelerated development.
The elder statesman made his position known over the weekend during the eighth Founders’ Day and fifth convocation ceremony of the PAMO University of Medical Sciences in Port Harcourt, where he serves as Founder and Pro-Chancellor.
According to Odili, the alignment of Rivers State with the federal government is “perfect,” stressing that states closer to the centre often enjoy better access to national resources and policy support.
He commended Governor Fubara’s administration for prioritising education and healthcare, particularly investments in primary healthcare and the construction of quality zonal hospitals across the state.
“With what you have done as our governor, the attention you have paid to education and health is highly commendable. I am sure no state in Nigeria can boast of the quality of zonal hospitals you have built,” he said.
Odili added that the governor’s healthcare initiatives are in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms in the health sector, noting that such alignment would bring tangible benefits to Rivers residents.
“The emphasis on primary healthcare is excellent, and you have tailored your programmes to align correctly with what Mr. President is doing in the health sector. So far, at least 500 infrastructure projects have been completed across the country,” he stated.
He further urged the people of Rivers State to rally behind Governor Fubara, insisting that active participation in national governance processes would ensure the state gets its fair share of national benefits.
“The alignment of Rivers State with the federal government is therefore perfect. We support it and encourage it because our people are now in the kitchen where the national cake is baked,” Odili added.
Beyond politics, the former governor raised concerns over the increasing migration of Nigerian medical professionals to foreign countries, describing it as a serious threat to the nation’s healthcare system.
He called for improved welfare for doctors and other health workers, including better remuneration and an extension of the retirement age for medical practitioners to about 70 years.
Odili disclosed that several professors at PAMO University of Medical Sciences are retired academics from other institutions who continue to contribute actively to medical training.
“Judges can suspend work for months, engineers can halt construction, but no medical professional can afford the luxury of suspending treatment of patients. Let us make our pastures greener in Nigeria,” he said.
Governor Fubara, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded by the university, particularly the impact of state-sponsored scholarships for Rivers indigenes.
She assured that the state government would sustain its support for the institution, citing the quality of medical graduates produced by the university.
Earlier, the Chancellor of the university and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.), explained that approvals granted by the National Universities Commission were aimed at strengthening the quality of healthcare professionals in Nigeria.
He praised regulatory bodies for inducting the institution’s graduates into professional associations and reaffirmed the university’s zero-tolerance stance on social vices.
Also speaking, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Smith Jaja, disclosed that 126 students graduated across different medical disciplines.
He urged the new graduates to uphold the institution’s values and surpass the achievements of those before them.
