In a renewed push to restore political stability in Rivers State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has successfully reunited the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, following months of a bitter power tussle.
The reconciliation was sealed during a late-night meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, June 26, and was later confirmed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, via a post on his official X handle (formerly Twitter) on Friday morning.
“President Tinubu has demonstrated once again that he wants peace for Rivers State,” Onanuga wrote, sharing photos from the meeting. “Just like he brought together the political gladiators to sign a peace deal in December 2023, he repeated the same on Thursday night, three months after he imposed the March 18 state of emergency.”
The breakthrough comes amid a prolonged political conflict that had gripped Rivers State since late 2023, rooted in a bitter power struggle between Wike and his political protégé-turned-rival, Governor Fubara.
The crisis reached a boiling point in March 2025 when President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state, citing threats to peace, governance, and public safety.
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The President subsequently suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected lawmakers. In their place, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd.) was appointed as Administrator to oversee the affairs of the state.
However, a senior government source told reporters on Friday that Thursday night’s peace meeting had “fully resolved the differences” between the warring parties.
“From the body language after the meeting with the President, I can tell you that they have reconciled,” the source said.
Earlier in the day, Fubara, Wike, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly had met privately before proceeding to Aso Rock for the larger reconciliation session with President Tinubu.
This is the second major peace intervention by President Tinubu in the Rivers political crisis. In December 2023, the President brokered a ceasefire agreement between the key stakeholders following an earlier breakdown in relations.
That truce, however, eventually collapsed under the weight of continued political tension, leading to a full-blown breakdown in governance by March 2025.
President Tinubu’s renewed intervention is seen by observers as part of a broader effort to stabilize political tensions across states and focus national attention on economic recovery and reforms.
Although specific details of the new peace terms have not yet been released, sources familiar with the talks say the President emphasized the need for unity, maturity, and a collective commitment to serve the people of Rivers State above personal interests.
With this fresh agreement, attention now turns to how the parties will implement the reconciliation on the ground in Rivers. Political analysts say restoring confidence in government institutions and rebuilding trust among warring factions will be crucial.
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While no official statement has been made regarding the reversal of the suspensions or the status of the state administrator, sources at the Villa indicated that full constitutional governance may soon return to the state.
President Tinubu’s peace efforts have been widely welcomed by political stakeholders, who view the resolution as a necessary step toward ending a months-long impasse that threatened governance and peace in one of Nigeria’s most politically strategic states.
More details are expected in the coming days as the Presidency and Rivers State authorities outline the next steps in consolidating peace and governance.