The prolonged political crisis in Rivers State appears to be nearing resolution as FCT Minister Nyesom Wike announced that he and the suspended state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, have “agreed to work together.”
Speaking after a meeting with Fubara, President Bola Tinubu, and suspended members of the Rivers State Assembly, Wike acknowledged past disagreements with the governor but confirmed that all parties have now resolved their differences.
“We have all agreed to work together with the governor, and the governor has also agreed to work with all of us,” Wike said after a late-night reconciliation meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
“We are members of the same political family – yes, just like humans, we all have disagreements, and then you also have the time to settle your disagreements, and that has been finally concluded today. We have come to report to Mr President that this is what we have agreed.”
The FCT Minister, who is the immediate past governor of the state, added, “For me, everything is over and in joy,” saying that “We have all agreed on everything, so we thank Almighty God.”
‘Peace has returned in Rivers State’
In March, President Bola Tinubu suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the State Assembly for six months after unsuccessful attempts to resolve the protracted political crisis in the state.
The president also declared a state of emergency in Rivers and appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas to oversee the affairs of the oil-rich state.
Following a late-night meeting on Thursday with Fubara, Nyesom Wike, and the suspended lawmakers, the suspended governor described the development as a significant step toward restoring peace in Rivers State.
This marks the second meeting between Tinubu and Fubara since the governor’s suspension. Earlier in June, Fubara visited the president at his Lagos residence during Tinubu’s two-week stay in the commercial hub.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga shared photos of their earlier meeting online.
“Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers, now on suspension from office, visited President Bola Tinubu in Lagos on Tuesday,” Onanuga captioned the photos he posted on his X handle.
The suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the House of Assembly sparked widespread condemnation from Nigerians, political parties, organizations, and prominent figures, including opposition leaders Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nigerian Bar Association, and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), among others.
Despite the backlash, President Bola Tinubu maintained that the decision was in the best interest of both the state and the nation.
For over a year, Wike and his former political ally, Fubara, were embroiled in a bitter feud over control of the state’s political structure. The Rivers Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule and aligned with Wike, had threatened to impeach Fubara for allegedly failing to implement a Supreme Court ruling on the state’s political crisis.
The situation escalated with reports of pipeline explosions, prompting Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, stating that he could no longer stand by as the crisis intensified.
However, following the recent meeting with Tinubu, Fubara, Wike, and the suspended lawmakers appeared in a more amicable and lighthearted atmosphere, exchanging handshakes, smiles, and photos.
Although Tinubu did not make a public statement after the meeting, there are indications that the state of emergency in Rivers may soon be lifted, signaling a resolution to the crisis.