Dare Babalola
There appears to be a let-up in the political crisis rocking Rivers State.
According to The Nation on Monday, President Bola Tinubu reportedly held talks with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and other key leaders from the state on Sunday night.
While the details of the meeting remain under wraps, The Nation reports that Governor Fubara accompanied Wike to his residence in Guzape, Abuja, after the discussions.
Fubara was said to have begged the minister, vowing never to disrespect him again.
The rift between Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, started shortly after Fubara took office in May 2023.
Wike, who supported Fubara’s rise to power, began to feel that Fubara was asserting his independence too quickly.
This led to a power struggle, with Wike allegedly trying to control the state’s political structure from Abuja, where he serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The situation escalated when pro-Wike lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara, citing disagreements over governance and party loyalty.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier intervened, calling for calm and recognising Wike as the “political leader” of Rivers State.
President Tinubu had also suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months, citing a state of emergency due to the political crisis in the state.
This decision was made on March 18, 2025, and was later revoked on September 17, 2025, with Fubara, his deputy, and the legislators reinstated.
The suspension was reportedly due to allegations of constitutional breaches and governance failures, with tensions between Fubara and Wike contributing to the crisis.
