By Ghazali Ibrahim
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday hosted a high-level closed-door meeting with key political figures from Rivers State, including Suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, and Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Martins Amaewhule, in a renewed effort to end the lingering political crisis in the state.
The meeting, which took place at the Presidential Villa on Thursday in Abuja, marked the first public appearance of Governor Fubara with the president since Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18.
That declaration had led to the suspension of the governor, his deputy Dr. Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly, amid rising tensions and allegations of executive-legislative breakdown and security concerns.
Thursday’s meeting is being viewed as a significant step toward reconciliation.
Photographs released after the talks showed President Tinubu flanked by Fubara and Wike, all sharing warm smiles.
Presidency sources described the meeting as productive, saying it succeeded in easing tensions between the warring factions that have left the state in a political deadlock for months.
The power tussle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor-turned-minister, Nyesom Wike, had deeply polarized the state’s political landscape, with the House of Assembly split between loyalty to both figures.
The crisis escalated in early 2025, culminating in a state of emergency and suspension of key officials.
Though no official communique was issued after Thursday’s meeting, insiders suggest that a roadmap for power-sharing and cooperation among the stakeholders was discussed and agreed upon.
