Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The PAMO University of Medical Sciences has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, demanding an immediate retraction and apology over what it describes as "malicious and defamatory" statements made during the presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill. The demand, contained in a letter dated September 3, 2026, and signed by the university's lawyer, Chief Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, warns that failure to comply will result in legal proceedings against the Speaker.
The controversy centres on a proposed N6 billion allocation for Rivers State indigenes studying at the private medical university, which was removed from the state's 2026 budget after the Speaker raised concerns about the institution's transparency in managing funds allocated to it over the years. During the presentation of the Appropriation Act to Governor Siminalayi Fubara for assent, Amaewhule reportedly stated that the House Committee had scrutinised the N6 billion proposal and found that the university had not been transparent in its management of previous funds. He further alleged that the university was invited by the committee but failed to appear and did not present any records or reports to the Assembly.
However, PAMO University has vehemently denied the allegations, describing them as "totally false and unfounded." The institution, through its legal counsel, insists that it has never been invited by the Rivers State House of Assembly or any other government body to account for or defend funds released under the state's scholarship programme. The university maintains that since the commencement of the scholarship scheme, it has "strictly and judiciously" applied the funds for the sole purpose of educating Rivers State students.
The university's lawyers argue that the Speaker's comments could lead an average person to believe that PAMO University is "an irresponsible and fraudulent institution" that has mismanaged or diverted public funds. They contend that the statements have embarrassed, maligned, and defamed the university, particularly the suggestion that its management has not been transparent in handling the scholarship funds. The legal team has consequently demanded an immediate retraction and a public apology for what it describes as "malicious defamation and sullying of its integrity."
As the 24-hour deadline ticks, the Rivers State House of Assembly has taken a parallel step, constituting a seven-member ad-hoc committee to conduct an inquiry into the state government's disbursement of funds to the university since its inception in 2017. The committee, chaired by Hon. Dumle Maol, has been mandated to unravel how much funding the university has received, determine whether the funds were adequately utilised for their intended purposes, and ascertain the number and identities of all scholarship beneficiaries.
The probe comes against the backdrop of the Assembly's controversial removal of the N6 billion provision for PAMO from the state's 2026 budget, a decision that has raised questions over the fate of hundreds of Rivers State students said to be benefiting from the institution's scholarship scheme. The scholarship programme, which dates back to 2018 under the administration of former Governor Nyesom Wike, initially involved 500 Rivers State students and was continued under Governor Fubara, with additional beneficiaries enrolled in subsequent rounds.
Stakeholders opposed to the removal of the allocation argue that government payments to the university should be viewed as payment for educational services provided to scholarship beneficiaries rather than as personal financial grants to its founder, former Rivers State Governor Dr. Peter Odili. Parents and former beneficiaries have appealed to the Speaker to reconsider the decision, warning that students should not be made to suffer the consequences of disagreements among political actors.
The unfolding dispute has moved beyond the N6 billion budgetary provision to a broader examination of the financial dealings between the state government and the private university. PAMO has raised a fundamental question: why was the university allegedly denied an opportunity to explain or account for the funds before the Assembly took the decision to remove the 2026 allocation? For parents who have already invested heavily in their children's education, the prospect of students being unable to continue their medical training because of a funding dispute is particularly troubling.
As the committee prepares to submit its report by September 30, 2026, the clash between the Assembly and the university threatens to disrupt the academic careers of hundreds of medical students who had no role in the controversy. The immediate casualty is the N6 billion provision previously earmarked for PAMO, leaving students, parents, and stakeholders anxiously awaiting the outcome of the probe and the university's threatened legal action.
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