Following a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja involving President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, and suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, there are strong indications that the President may reinstate Fubara later this month.
The meeting, also attended by suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Martin Amaewhule and several lawmakers, marked a breakthrough in the lingering political crisis in Rivers State. Both Wike and Fubara publicly declared peace had returned.
The conflict escalated on March 18, 2025, when President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy, and the entire State House of Assembly for six months.
In a nationwide broadcast, Tinubu cited “disturbing security reports” involving pipeline vandalism by militants—a situation he said Fubara failed to address. He warned that the “grave situation” could not be allowed to persist.
The roots of the crisis trace back to October 2023, when a bitter power struggle erupted between Fubara and his political godfather, Wike. The rift led to impeachment proceedings initiated by 27 pro-Wike lawmakers in the House of Assembly.
President Tinubu initially intervened in the crisis in October 2023 through a peace meeting at the Presidential Villa, but the agreement collapsed shortly after.
In early 2024, the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt gave an order allowing four pro-Fubara lawmakers to carry out legislative duties, further deepening the divide.
However, with the truce now in place, analysts believe Governor Fubara may be reinstated soon as part of a broader reconciliation effort aimed at stabilising the state.
The political drama has not been without violence. On the eve of the attempted impeachment, a section of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex was bombed. A dynamite explosion also rocked the vicinity of Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt during a protest in support of Wike. During the controversial local government elections in December 2023, two LGA offices and the APC secretariat were set ablaze.