The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Sunday received Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, at his residence in Port Harcourt.
The meeting marked the first known encounter between the two politicians since Fubara announced his decision not to seek a second term as governor of the state.
Wike was joined at the meeting by Kingsley Chinda, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, and Magnus Abe, chairman of the Rainbow Coalition reconciliation committee.
Sam Jaja, former deputy national chairman of the APC, also accompanied Fubara to the meeting.
The gathering comes as efforts continue to strengthen the reconciliation between Wike and Fubara following their prolonged political disagreement.
Wike had recently announced that Fubara had agreed to return to the political camp that backed his emergence as governor of Rivers State.
The relationship between the two men became strained shortly after Fubara assumed office in 2023, triggering a political crisis that divided the state along different political camps.
The dispute escalated when lawmakers loyal to Wike commenced impeachment proceedings against Fubara and later culminated in President Bola Tinubu declaring a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State.
The two sides eventually reached an agreement, with Fubara joining the APC and aligning with the Wike-backed Rainbow Coalition.
After Wike announced that the political dispute had been resolved, a reconciliation committee led by Abe was established to engage with Fubara and his supporters.
Fubara has subsequently expressed support for the Rainbow Coalition and endorsed Chinda as his preferred candidate to succeed him as governor in the 2027 election.
He has also endorsed Tinubu for re-election and called on his supporters to back the president and other candidates supported by the coalition.
Fubara had earlier undergone screening alongside Chinda for the APC governorship primary but later withdrew from the contest, explaining that the decision was aimed at promoting peace and unity in Rivers State.
Following his withdrawal, Chinda became the sole aspirant and was subsequently declared the APC governorship candidate.