In a significant reconciliation push, President Bola Tinubu convened a closed-door summit late Thursday at the Presidential Villa, drawing together suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and key members of the Rivers State House of Assembly .
This marks the most decisive intervention since Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers on 18 March 2025—a move that suspended Fubara, his deputy, and the entire state legislature due to worsening political insecurity .
Photographs and videos shared by the presidency and media outlets captured a more amicable atmosphere as the president, former governor-turned-minister, and sitting governor were seen smiling and shaking hands . 972-0According to the president’s spokeswoman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu “hosted a reconciliation meeting … bringing together all the figures in the Rivers State political crisis” .
Observers view this gathering as a turning point in Nigeria’s most enduring state-level political feud, raising hopes that the stalemate that crippled governance and oil production in Rivers may finally be easing . Although the outcomes remain under wraps, Nigerian media credit Tinubu’s direct engagement with having yielded a notably warmer tone among the previously estranged parties .
What this means:
Tinubu’s move signals the federal government’s serious intent to restore political stability and resumed governance in the oil-rich state.
A state of emergency has been in place since March 18, when officials cited deepening divisions and security threats .
This Villa meeting is the closest the factions have come to a reconciliation since Tinubu’s initial intervention failed in late 2023 and early 2024.
Stay tuned as we monitor whether this Villa truce will mark the beginning of the end to the Rivers impasse—or merely a pause in the ongoing power struggle.
