Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
The Rivers State House of Assembly has resolved to issue a warrant of arrest for the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Professor Smith Jaja, over his failure to appear before an ad hoc committee investigating billions of naira in scholarship-related funds disbursed to the institution by the state government.
The resolution was reached during the Assembly’s 53rd legislative sitting on Friday, September 25, 2026, after lawmakers considered the report of the committee investigating government funding to the university since 2017.
According to the Assembly, the committee’s report showed that PAMO University received more than ₦29 billion from the Rivers State Government, while lawmakers raised questions about the relationship between the funds released and student enrolment under the scholarship programme.
The Assembly also recommended that the Rivers State Government establish a committee to recover funds it considers unaccounted for and return them to the state’s Consolidated Revenue Account.
Why the Assembly Ordered the Arrest
The decision followed repeated invitations to Professor Jaja to appear before the ad hoc committee and explain how funds provided under the scholarship arrangement were utilised.
The Assembly had previously extended the deadline for his appearance to September 24 after he failed to attend an earlier sitting.
In its Friday resolution, the House said the warrant of arrest was being issued in accordance with the recommendation of the committee.
The committee was established earlier in September to examine the funding relationship between the Rivers State Government and PAMO University, including the amount released since 2017, how the money was used and the number and identities of beneficiaries of the scholarship programme.
The committee is chaired by Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol.
Assembly Raises Questions Over ₦29bn
The latest development follows growing scrutiny of public funds allocated to PAMO University.
The Assembly said its committee report found that more than ₦29 billion had been released to the institution by the state government.
Speaker Martin Amaewhule also questioned discrepancies among documents presented by the Rivers State Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education and the Office of the Accountant-General.
According to statements attributed to the Speaker by his media aide and reported by Punch and Vanguard, the Assembly calculated that only about ₦5 billion of the more than ₦29 billion released had been utilised by the university. The Assembly also said the records indicated discrepancies between funds released and corresponding student enrolment.
These figures and conclusions are currently claims contained in the Assembly’s report and statements by its leadership. They should not be treated as a final judicial or independent audit finding unless subsequently established by an appropriate authority.
How the Probe Started
The dispute dates back to the Rivers State Government’s scholarship arrangement with PAMO University, a private medical institution in Port Harcourt.
In early September, the Assembly rejected a proposed ₦6 billion allocation for scholarships at the university as part of the state’s 2026 budget.
The Assembly subsequently established its ad hoc committee to investigate government funding to PAMO University since 2017.
According to Channels Television, the committee was mandated to determine the total amount the university had received from the state government, establish whether the funds were used for their intended purposes and identify beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme. The committee was initially expected to submit its report to the House by September 30.
The Assembly’s decision to scrutinise the funding has therefore developed from a budgetary disagreement into a wider investigation of previous scholarship disbursements.
PAMO University Challenges Assembly’s Authority
PAMO University has challenged the Assembly’s attempt to compel its Vice-Chancellor to appear before the committee.
The institution and Professor Jaja approached the Rivers State High Court, questioning the Assembly’s authority to investigate the university.
The legal challenge places the dispute beyond the Assembly’s proceedings and into the judicial process.
On September 23, the High Court declined an application for an interim order against the Assembly. The court, however, adjourned the substantive fundamental-rights case filed by PAMO University and its Vice-Chancellor until September 29.
The university’s legal representatives have argued that the Assembly does not have jurisdiction to compel the Vice-Chancellor to appear in the circumstances.
The Assembly, meanwhile, has relied on Sections 128 and 129 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, in asserting its investigative and summons powers. Earlier reports indicated that lawmakers had cited those provisions when inviting the Vice-Chancellor and other officials to provide documents and explanations concerning the funds.
The Broader Funding Dispute
The Assembly’s action comes after lawmakers removed the ₦6 billion provision for PAMO University from the 2026 Rivers State budget.
The original allocation was intended to support scholarships for Rivers State students studying medicine at the university.
The Assembly had questioned how earlier allocations to the institution were managed and whether the state was receiving sufficient value from the scholarship arrangement.
The university is associated with former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili, who serves as its Pro-Chancellor.
The dispute has consequently attracted wider attention because it involves the management of public funds, access to medical education and the constitutional limits of legislative oversight over a private institution receiving government funding.
What the Assembly Wants Next
Beyond the proposed arrest warrant, the Assembly has called for the establishment of a recovery committee.
The committee would be tasked with identifying and recovering funds the lawmakers consider unaccounted for and depositing the recovered money into the Rivers State Consolidated Revenue Account.
The Assembly has also maintained that the Vice-Chancellor should personally answer questions concerning the university’s financial records because of his position as the institution’s chief accounting officer, according to earlier reporting on the dispute.
However, the university’s court action means that important questions surrounding the Assembly’s investigative authority remain before the judiciary.
Why the Case Matters
The dispute has implications beyond the immediate confrontation between the Rivers State House of Assembly and PAMO University.
At its centre is the use and accountability of public money allocated for education. Scholarship programmes are intended to provide students with access to education while ensuring that public funds are properly accounted for.
The Assembly’s investigation could therefore provide greater clarity on how government scholarship funds were allocated, the number of students supported and how payments were processed.
At the same time, the university’s legal challenge raises an institutional question over the extent to which a state legislature can investigate a private university receiving public funds.
The outcome of the court proceedings could help clarify the legal boundaries between legislative oversight, public funding and the autonomy of private educational institutions.
What Happens Next
The immediate next development is expected to come from both the Assembly and the courts.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has resolved to issue a warrant of arrest for Professor Smith Jaja following his failure to appear before its committee.
Meanwhile, the fundamental-rights case filed by PAMO University and the Vice-Chancellor is scheduled for hearing on September 29, 2026.
The Assembly’s committee is also expected to pursue its recommendations concerning the recovery of funds.
Until the relevant financial records, court proceedings and responses from all parties are fully examined, the allegations concerning the use or non-accounting of the scholarship funds remain matters under investigation rather than established wrongdoing.
The case will therefore continue to be closely watched as Rivers State seeks to establish how billions of naira allocated to a medical education scholarship programme were disbursed, accounted for and applied.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Punch Newspapers — reporting on the Rivers State House of Assembly’s September 25 resolution and the committee’s findings.
- Vanguard — reporting on the arrest warrant, the Assembly’s recommendations and the committee’s findings.
- Channels Television — reporting on the establishment and mandate of the Assembly’s ad hoc committee.
- The Guardian — reporting on PAMO University’s court challenge and the September 29 hearing.
- Punch Newspapers — reporting on the earlier dispute over more than ₦28 billion in funds and the university lawyer’s response.
