Gov Fubara Endorses Tinubu’s Ogoni Reset, Hosts NSA Ribadu on Niger Delta Devt

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed his administration’s full support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed drive to resolve the long-standing Ogoni crisis, declaring that the initiative is already yielding visible progress in infrastructure development, employment, and environmental remediation across the Niger Delta.

The Governor stated this on Monday, December 22, 2025, while receiving a high-powered federal delegation led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on a courtesy visit to Government House, Port Harcourt.

The delegation included the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi; the Minister of Environment, Hon. Balarabe Abbas Lawal; and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari.

Governor Fubara commended President Tinubu for demonstrating the political will to address issues that had lingered unresolved in Ogoniland for over three decades, describing the intervention as a bold and necessary step toward lasting peace and development in Rivers State.

“Thanking Mr President is the first thing that everyone who truly loves this state should do. For more than 30 years, one particular issue has remained a recurring problem. I want to thank him for having the boldness, the determination and the toughness to say, ‘let us start from somewhere,’” Fubara said.

He noted that renewed engagement with the Ogoni people has begun to restore trust and confidence, particularly in the area of employment, with more Ogoni indigenes now gaining opportunities within the NNPCL.

“Today, we have more men and women of Ogoni extraction already employed in NNPCL. Somehow, we didn’t manage our situation very well in the past and it slipped off, but I am happy today that assurance, support and encouragement are coming back,” the Governor stated.

Fubara observed that such opportunities were previously limited due to perceptions that locals posed security risks, a narrative he said is now changing under the current administration’s inclusive approach.

On infrastructure, the Governor highlighted significant improvements on major federal roads, especially the East–West Road, noting that sections once notorious for traffic gridlock have now become motorable.

In the education sector, he disclosed that the Federal University of Environment has commenced its admission processes, describing it as part of broader confidence-building measures that also include the establishment of new hospitals and an industrial park in the state.

The Governor also appealed to youths in oil-producing communities to allow unhindered access for oil spill repairs, warning that obstruction only worsens environmental damage.

“If there are cases of spillage and the operators need to go and repair, we should allow them. If you don’t, it brings us back to square one. These wells are old and, due to age, they might develop natural faults,” he said.

He revealed that new owners of former Shell assets had approached him for support, not to commence fresh operations, but to prevent further environmental degradation.

Responding, NSA Nuhu Ribadu conveyed President Tinubu’s appreciation for the cooperation of the Rivers State Government, attributing the relative peace currently enjoyed in the state to sustained collaboration between state and federal authorities.

“Ogoniland is looking like a turning point for Nigeria today. A new chapter is being opened. Nigeria will not be what it used to be again. Things are changing, and it is starting with Ogoniland,” Ribadu said.

Also speaking, Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, commended Governor Fubara for his support toward the ongoing reconstruction of the East–West Road and outlined several Niger Delta projects being executed by the Tinubu administration. He announced that the President has directed that a section of the coastal road project should pass through Ogoniland, with designs already underway to commence construction from Rivers State.

The Minister of Environment, Hon. Balarabe Abbas Lawal, highlighted progress made in environmental remediation efforts in Ogoniland, while the NNPCL GCEO, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, disclosed that the corporation has engaged 30 Ogoni youths, who are expected to resume duties in January 2026, as part of its job creation and community engagement commitments.

The visit underscored renewed federal–state collaboration aimed at consolidating peace, accelerating development, and restoring confidence in Ogoniland and the wider Niger Delta region.