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Draw Up Futuristic Policies To Strengthen Governance, Fubara Tells NISS Team …Says Rivers’ll Deploy AI To Drive Dev, Tackle Political Crisis
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that it was now imperative for policy makers to draw up futuristic plans that can strengthen governance when implemented while also protecting the interest of the people.
The Governor emphasised that his Administration was ready to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) because it would significantly enhance operational efficiency and transform citizen experiences.
Governor Fubara made the remark when participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC-17 Syndicate 5) of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) paid him a courtesy visit at Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday.
He stated that the advanced societies were accelerating the use of artificial intelligence because it enables a faster data-driven decision-making process and allows administrations to make more informed choices that are based on accurate and real-time insights.
“Today, we are moving from the aspect of physical battle to intellectual battle and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the right model to use to fight crime.
“As a State, we did not hesitate to accept your invitation because we want to tap into it. We want to be part of this success, knowing fully well that your success will also rub off on our State.”
Governor Fubara emphasised: “I heard you say here that, at the end of the visit, your report will be part of what would be used to formulate policies.
He added, “It’s very important and we know quite alright that, for us to do better than what we are doing, we need policies that are strong, futuristic, and can strengthen governance as well as policies that would protect the interest of the common man.”
Governor Fubara assured that his Administration was determined to work with the institute to build a strong synergy that will ease the processes of governance.
Sir Fubara directed the Secretary of the Rivers State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, to sustain contact with the group so that its final report can be made available for the State to study and implement.
“It is important we get the final report so that it can help us in some of our planning and other strategies. You know, we are a Government that does not believe in violence even when we are being provoked on all sides.
“What we want to use to fight our battles is AI. So, sincerely, we are winning with AI. When I said it, it was not a mistake. I know what I mean.
Governor Fubara further said: “We feel very honoured at this particular time to have you in our State, especially considering the high level of security and intelligence work that you are doing.
“It will give us a good image as against what is being rumoured everywhere that the streets of Port Harcourt, is being paraded by cultists, kidnappers and all sorts of criminal elements.
“You might have also gone round and seen for yourself that Rivers State, even in the face of the political crisis, is also peaceful.
“This is because the management of the State, as at today, has always emphasised that peace is the only way and solution for development. So, I am happy that your presence here has also helped to make us score another point before our detractors.”
Governor Fubara stated that, to build a very successful nation, it was important for everybody to work as a team.
Such teamwork, he noted, will diminish tendencies to engage in unhealthy rivalry, and frustrate politics of bitterness, particularly because government was a continuum.
“After my Administration, another person, definitely, will take over, but what is important is for us to work for the common interest of everybody, not for self. If we are talking about self, we will be very destructive. Our policies will be very myopic and short-sighted.
“I want to urge everyone to think first about the well-being of our country. I want to appeal to everybody, let us stop this politics of bitterness and play politics of friendship.
“Let us liken it to a football match: somebody has to win, somebody has to loss. There will be another tournament, and you will try again to see if you can reclaim your medal. That is the way life should be seen.
“It shouldn’t be an issue of unnecessary competition. It shouldn’t be an issue of unnecessary rivalry that leads to bitterness, leads to sickness of the bone. We should try and emulate better relationships,” he added.
In his speech, the Head of the delegation of the participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 17, Syndicate 5) of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), Didacus Egor Egbeji, said that officers at the rank of not less than Deputy Directors were in the State for a weeklong study tour as part of requirements of their 10- month course at the institute.
Egbeji, who is also the Deputy Commandant of the National Institute for Security Studies, explained that the participants are strategic leaders who, in the next 5 years, are likely to be heading their different agencies and will be using gains from the training to ensure efficiency at their agencies.
He said, “The training has to do with different modules. We have the security module; we have the crisis management module; we have the governance module; and we have the strategic module. As we are here, the other groups are in states, such as Cross River, Abia, Enugu, Zamfara, Kogi.
“We are expected, after this one week tour, to go back to the institute to make a presentation of what we found in Rivers State in terms of the theme of the course which is “Artificial Intelligence, Security and Emerging Economies in Africa: Challenges and Prospects.
“It is after this submission that we are also expected to embark on a study tour of six African states. By the end of next month, after the tour of the African states, by September, we will embark on a tour of six other countries across the globe.”
Egbeji also said that at the end of those tours, they will do a review, put reports together and present it as an Executive Brief to President Bola Tinubu through the Office of the Vice President.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chief of Staff (CoS) to carry out their duties with discipline, loyalty and a firm commitment to the success of the administration and the wellbeing of the people of Rivers State.
The governor warned that any involvement in unauthorised nocturnal meetings or any conduct capable of embarrassing the government will attract immediate dismissal.
Fubara gave the warning yesterday shortly after the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Dagogo S.A. Wokoma and the new Chief of Staff (CoS), Barrister Sunny Ewule, were sworn in at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Port Harcourt.
As part of the ceremony, the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi administered the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office on the duo before the governor gave his charge.
Addressing the appointees, Fubara reminded them that their elevation to the new positions was a call to service and not a platform for political grandstanding or the pursuit of personal ambition.
He stressed that their foremost responsibility should be to themselves and to the people of Rivers State, stressing that their conduct must always reflect integrity, restraint and dedication to public good.
Speaking directly to Dr. Wokoma, whom he described as an accomplished academic and mathematician, the governor expressed confidence in his intellectual depth and capacity to deliver on the new assignment.
The office of the Secretary to the State Government, Fubara stressed, demands thoroughness, discipline and a deep sense of responsibility. He charged the SSG to represent the State with honour at all times.
“Your duty includes representing the state government. You need to represent us in a way and manner that will bring honour to us.
“What is important to this administration is to see that the good works that we started and the ones that we met, are concluded in a way that will bring progress and development to our dear state,” he stated.
Turning to the new Chief of Staff, the governor explained that he is expected to ensure smooth administrative coordination, managing official engagements effectively and safeguarding the image of the Government House.
He underscored the sensitive and personal nature of the role and emphasised that the position operates strictly under the authority of the governor.
Fubara stressed that the role does not permit independent political engagements or private strategy meetings without his knowledge and consent.
“Let me sound it here very clearly. Your duty is to make sure that you handle the administrative duties and image making roles perfectly well, liaising with whoever is coming for any official assignment here.
“If you involve yourself in nocturnal meetings and all those things, I will sack you. I’m very serious. What is important to me today is peace, progress and prosperity of this state. I’m not going to compromise anything for it,” he said.
The governor cautioned that involvement of the new appointees in any action capable of bringing the government or his office to disrepute would attract appropriate sanctions.
While congratulating the new appointees, Fubara expressed optimism that they would justify the confidence reposed in them.
He called on all public officials to work together in unity, observing that collective success is stronger and more enduring than individual achievement.
The governor who also addressed the Permanent Secretaries present at the ceremony, directed those of them who have reached retirement age to start preparing their handover notes without delay.
The notice, he said, was not intended to scare anybody but to prepare their minds towards the inevitability of exiting the service one day and to pave way for an orderly transition.
He warned against any attempt to engage in financial misconduct or last-minute irregularities, stressing that he was closely monitoring the system to ensure strict enforcement of accountability rules.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has dissolved the State Executive Council.
The governor announced the cabinet dissolution yesterday in a statement titled ‘Government Special Announcement’, signed by his new Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi.
Governor Fubara directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.
He thanked the outgoing members of the State Executive Council for their service and wished them the best in their future endeavours.
The three-paragraph special announcement read, “His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has dissolved the State Executive Council.
“His Excellency, the Governor, has therefore directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.
“His Excellency further expresses his deepest appreciation to the outgoing members of the Executive Council wishing them the best in their future endeavours.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday told the National Assembly that it requires N873.78bn to conduct the 2027 general elections, even as it seeks N171bn to fund its operations in the 2026 fiscal year.
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, made the disclosure while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost for the 2027 general elections before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.
According to Amupitan, the N873.78bn election budget covers the full conduct of national polls in 2027.
An additional N171bn is needed to support INEC’s routine activities in 2026, including bye-elections and off-season elections, the commission stated.
The INEC boss said the proposed election budget does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps seeking increased allowances for corps members engaged as ad-hoc staff during elections.
He explained that, although the details of specific line items were not exhaustively presented, the almost N1tn election budget is structured across five major components.
“N379.75bn is for operational costs, N92.32bn for administrative costs, N209.21bn for technological costs, N154.91bn for election capital costs and N42.61bn for miscellaneous expenses,” Amupitan said.
The INEC chief noted that the budget was prepared “in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to prepare its election budget at least one year before the general election.”
On the 2026 fiscal year, Amupitan disclosed that the Ministry of Finance provided an envelope of N140bn, stressing, however, that “INEC is proposing a total expenditure of N171bn.”
The breakdown includes N109bn for personnel costs, N18.7bn for overheads, N42.63bn for election-related activities and N1.4bn for capital expenditure.
He argued that the envelope budgeting system is not suitable for the Commission’s operations, noting that INEC’s activities often require urgent and flexible funding.
Amupitan also identified the lack of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, adding that if the commission develops its own network infrastructure, Nigerians would be in a better position to hold it accountable for any technical glitches.
Speaking at the session, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) said external agencies should not dictate the budgeting framework for INEC, given the unique and sensitive nature of its mandate.
He advocated that the envelope budgeting model should be set aside.
He urged the National Assembly to work with INEC’s financial proposal to avoid future instances of possible underfunding.
In the same vein, a member of the House of Representatives from Edo State, Billy Osawaru, called for INEC’s budget to be placed on first-line charge as provided in the Constitution, with funds released in full and on time to enable the Commission to plan early enough for the 2027 general election.
The Joint Committee approved a motion recommending the one-time release of the Commission’s annual budget.
The committee also said it would consider the NYSC’s request for about N32bn to increase allowances for corps members to N125,000 each when engaged for election duties.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Along, assured that the National Assembly would work closely with the Commission to ensure it receives the necessary support for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.
Similarly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, also pledged legislative support, warning INEC to be careful about promises it might be unable to keep.
He recalled that during the 2023 general election, INEC made strong assurances about uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing portal, creating the impression that results could be monitored in real time.
“iREV was not even in the Electoral Act; it was only in INEC regulations. So, be careful how you make promises,” Balogun warned.
The N873.78bn proposed by INEC for next year’s general election is a significant increase from the N313.4bn released to the Commission by the Federal Government for the conduct of the 2023 general election.