President Tinubu has finally broker peace between Wike and Fubara.
In a landmark intervention late Thursday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally mediated a peace accord between Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, bringing an end to nearly a year of bitter political infighting.
The closed-door reconciliation meeting, held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on June 26, also convened embattled Rivers Assembly Speaker Martins Amaewhule and all lawmakers embroiled in the crisis that has paralyzed governance in the oil-rich state.
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Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga confirmed the session on X (formerly Twitter), sharing video footage of the principals arriving at the Villa. “President Tinubu hosted a reconciliation meeting on Thursday night, bringing together all key figures in the Rivers State political standoff,” Onanuga wrote.
Three months earlier, Tinubu had suspended Governor Fubara and imposed a state of emergency in Rivers, citing escalating tensions and a breakdown of law and order. Thursday’s intervention represents his most dramatic effort yet to restore stability.
Though the communiqué from the meeting has not been made public, sources say the President urged both camps to “sheath their swords” and prioritize constitutional governance over personal rivalry.
Once political allies, Wike and Fubara fell out soon after the latter succeeded the former as governor in 2023. Wike—who had orchestrated Fubara’s victory—allegedly attempted to continue influencing state affairs from his FCT Minister post, triggering resistance from Fubara’s camp.
By late 2023, the schism widened into open warfare between the executive and a legislature believed loyal to Wike. In December of that year, the Rivers House of Assembly moved to impeach Fubara, sparking public protests and mutual accusations of intimidation.
A failed January 2024 reconciliation effort and the subsequent declaration of a state of emergency heightened tensions further, underscoring the depth of the impasse. With President Tinubu’s direct engagement, observers hope the truce will enable a return to normalcy in Rivers State. The stability of Nigeria’s fourth-largest economy—and its vital oil revenues—hinges on the success of this fragile détente.
A follow-up meeting is expected to flesh out specific terms of cooperation and outline timelines for lifting the suspension and emergency powers, though no date has yet been announcedRift Born of Rivalry
A New Chapter
