Over 600 medical students of the PAMO Medical University in Port Harcourt on scholarship by the Rivers State government are said to be in grave danger as the faceoff between the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) and the University deteriorates.
The Nyesom Wike-backed House of Assembly has now issued a warrant of arrest of the Vice Chancellor of the private university for allegedly refusing to appear before it. The university had gone to court for protection.
In their defence, PAMO University has issued an explainer on why its Vice Chancellor refused to appear before the House.
The crisis began when the House began screening the 2026 budget and rejected the budget for PAMO. They rejected the explanation that the N6Bn was for scholarship obligations to PAMO University.
Next, they summoned PAMO to appear before it, but the University went to court to enforce their rights, saying it was wrong for the House to declare it guilty before summoning it to explain.
The House responding by setting up a committee to investigate the University and issued a warrant of arrest.
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In a statement issued Monday, September 28, 2026, by Peter I. Akubuiroh, the Registrar, PAMO said the University has avoided escalating the dispute because disruption to medical education would adversely affect about 600 current Rivers State Government scholarship students, together with their families.
“For the past four months, PAMO University has continued to keep these students on campus despite outstanding school-fee payments, bearing the costs of their tuition, feeding, accommodation, and related expenses.
“Through this collaboration, Rivers State students whose families may not otherwise have been able to afford private medical education in Nigeria have graduated in Medicine and Surgery, Nursing Science, Medical Laboratory Science, Radiography, Pharmacology, Physiology, Anatomy, and Biochemistry.
“Students remain enrolled across these programmes, and the University expects the first Doctor of Physiotherapy students to graduate in due course.”
The University further stated that graduates have completed their programmes on schedule and that all programmes hold full accreditation from the relevant regulatory bodies.
On the fund in question, PAMO University stated thus: “Since the Rivers State Government scholarship scheme for students admitted to PAMO University on merit began, the Rivers State Ministry of Education has served as the scheme’s supervising body. The Ministry therefore holds the records of transactions, agreements, and dealings between the University and the State Government. All such records would have been made available to the committee by the Ministry. The University categorically states that it has fulfilled every obligation set out in the Memorandum of Understanding.
“PAMO University of Medical Sciences is a private institution. Accordingly, neither the Rivers State Government nor the House of Assembly appropriates money directly to it. Any appropriation is made to the Ministry of Education or other government ministry, department, or agency to meet the state’s scholarship obligations. In practical terms, the State Government sponsors eligible students by paying fees that would otherwise be paid by their parents or other sponsors.
“The scholarship scheme has enabled Rivers State students to access medical education that may otherwise have been beyond their means.”
The University stated that it had responded to the invitation by sending an official representative on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, but that the House declined to recognise the representative and would not even accept the letter and supporting documents he sought to submit.
It will be recalled that things were rosy between Wike when he climbed to power in Rivers State and the Peter Odili family. When Wike and Gov Sim Fubara entered into conflict, Odili appeared to defend see reason with Fubara. Wike began to openly attack Odili and his wife.
Next, the House sprang into action and the first cut was on the scholarship fund which actually was initiated by Wike when he was governor.
