President Tinubu is reportedly set to restore democratic rule in Rivers state.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is poised to fully reinstate the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, along with the State House of Assembly, in a move aimed at restoring democratic governance in the crisis-ridden state before the end of July.
According to multiple Presidential sources cited by Punch, the breakthrough follows a high-level peace meeting held behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja last Thursday. The reconciliation session brought together Governor Fubara and his estranged political mentor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as well as suspended Speaker Martin Amaewhule and several lawmakers.
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The anticipated reinstatement signals the end of a protracted political standoff that began in October 2023, when 27 pro-Wike lawmakers initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara, resulting in a breakdown of governance. The crisis escalated in March 2025 when President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, suspending the governor, his deputy, and all 32 state lawmakers, citing rising insecurity and government inaction.
However, following months of tension, sources confirmed that President Tinubu is determined to restore order and democratic stability in the oil-rich state.
“Fubara is happy with the peace brokered by the President. The deal is sealed,” a senior government official said. “The President told him to start preparing for a return to office as soon as Tinubu returns from his diplomatic engagements in Saint Lucia and Brazil.”
Amid swirling speculation that Fubara’s reinstatement might come with the condition of his eventual resignation, a top Presidency source dismissed such reports. “That’s not true. No such condition was given. Yes, every resolution comes with terms, but asking Fubara to resign was never part of it,” the source clarified.
Another Presidency insider stressed the urgency of ending the political deadlock: “The President made it clear that Rivers cannot afford prolonged instability. The focus is to restore calm and governance, though the cost of peace may be politically steep for Fubara.”
Signs of reconciliation are already emerging on the ground. Prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former lawmaker, Ogbonna Nwuke, confirmed that Governor Fubara has ordered the suspension of all political support groups linked to the crisis.
“He gave the directive that all groups be suspended for now,” Nwuke said. “We were one family under the New Rivers Vision, and now that peace is returning, there must be room for reintegration.”
The planned reinstatement of Fubara and lawmakers is expected to mark a major milestone in the resolution of the state’s leadership crisis and signal a return to democratic normalcy under President Tinubu’s watch.
