Tinubu hosts tense closed-door talks with Fubara, Wike, and Rivers lawmakers to resolve crisis.
Smiles at Aso Rock hint progress as political tensions threaten stability in oil-rich Rivers.
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday held a crucial meeting with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Martins Amaewhule, and several lawmakers from the state.
The meeting, which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was aimed at reconciling the feuding parties whose prolonged political differences led to the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers on March 18.
This is the first time Governor Fubara has been seen in public with President Tinubu since the suspension of the governor, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly was announced during the emergency declaration. At the time, Tinubu had explained that the decision was necessary due to the inability of the state’s executive and legislature to work together, as well as mounting security concerns.
Though no official statement was issued after the meeting, images from the gathering suggested progress in resolving the political crisis.
Recall that on March 18, 2025, President Tinubu invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to impose emergency rule in the oil-rich state. In his national broadcast, he said, “I cannot sit back and watch Rivers descend further into political instability without acting.” Following this, he appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the sole administrator for the state.
The decision to suspend the elected officials was met with widespread condemnation. Prominent Nigerians and groups, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Femi Falana, the Nigerian Bar Association, the Labour Party, and the Pan Niger Delta Forum, among others, criticized the move as unconstitutional and undemocratic.
The political standoff in Rivers has been largely driven by tensions between Wike, the former governor, and Fubara, once considered his political protégé. Lawmakers aligned with Wike had previously threatened impeachment proceedings against Fubara for allegedly failing to enforce a Supreme Court judgment.
If resolved, this will mark the end of a long-running dispute that has deeply divided the political landscape in one of Nigeria’s most strategic states.
