President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is reportedly set to reinstate the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and the state’s House of Assembly later this month, following a high-level reconciliation brokered between Fubara and his political rival and predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Presidency sources confirmed to reporters that the breakthrough followed a closed-door meeting held Thursday night at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The session was attended by Governor Fubara, Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and several lawmakers aligned with both factions.
The Rivers political crisis reached its peak on March 18, 2025, when President Tinubu declared a six-month state of emergency in the oil-rich state, citing escalating insecurity and the alleged failure of the Fubara administration to address pipeline vandalism by armed groups. The President suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all 32 members of the House of Assembly, appointing retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as sole administrator.
The origins of the crisis date back to October 2023, when a bitter power struggle erupted between Fubara and Wike, his former political mentor. The rift saw 27 pro-Wike lawmakers in the Assembly initiate impeachment proceedings against Fubara, culminating in violent episodes including the bombing of part of the Assembly complex and explosions near protest sites.
Efforts to mediate the conflict began as early as October 2023, when Tinubu convened a peace meeting that later collapsed. The situation further deteriorated in 2024, with court orders favoring the Fubara camp and counteractions from the pro-Wike faction. In a significant turn, the Supreme Court later reinstated Martins Amaewhule as Speaker and recognized the defected lawmakers’ positions in the Assembly, while nullifying local government elections held under Fubara’s leadership.
Sources within the Presidency now say Tinubu is keen to de-escalate the standoff. According to one official familiar with the matter, the President has instructed Fubara to begin preparations for a return to office, with a formal announcement expected upon Tinubu’s return from diplomatic visits to Saint Lucia and Brazil.
“Fubara is happy with the peace deal brokered by the President,” a source told reporters. “The reconciliation is sealed, and the governor should resume duties this month.”
Though speculation has swirled that Fubara’s reinstatement may be tied to a conditional resignation, officials close to the negotiations deny any such arrangement. However, sources confirm that the deal imposes serious limitations on Fubara’s authority.
As part of the agreement, Fubara will not seek re-election in 2027. Additionally, control over local government administration will shift to Wike’s camp, with the former governor granted the power to nominate chairmen for all 23 LGAs in the state.
In return, all impeachment proceedings initiated by the pro-Wike lawmakers will be withdrawn. Governor Fubara has also agreed to pay outstanding allowances owed to the lawmakers, many of whom defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the height of the crisis.
Political analysts say the arrangement consolidates Wike’s influence over the state’s political machinery, while allowing Fubara to complete his tenure under constrained terms.
Addressing the media after the reconciliation meeting, Wike declared, “We have all agreed to work together with the governor. Yes, just like humans, you have disagreements—and you also have time to settle. That has been finally concluded today.”
Governor Fubara echoed the sentiment: “What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace. Tonight, with the help of the President and leaders of the state, peace has returned. We’ll do everything within our power to make sure we sustain it.”
In a symbolic move confirming the reconciliation, Fubara has reportedly dissolved key political support groups formed during the crisis, including the “Simplified Movement” and “Simplified Elders,” seen as counterweights to the Wike-aligned “Wikematics” coalition.
Confirming the development, PDP chieftain and former lawmaker Chief Ogbonna Nwuke said, “The support groups are being disbanded to reflect the return to unity within our political family.”
With Fubara’s reinstatement imminent, observers say the arrangement marks a strategic victory for President Tinubu, whose intervention has averted further instability in one of Nigeria’s most politically volatile states. However, critics warn that the peace may be tenuous, given the underlying power imbalance and concessions extracted from the embattled governor.
