President Bola Tinubu, in an effort to resolve the ongoing Rivers State political impasse, convened a late-night meeting in Abuja on Thursday with Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Siminalayi Fubara, the suspended Governor of Rivers State.
Also present at the Presidential Villa were several members of the Rivers House of Assembly, including Martin Amaewhule, the suspended speaker.
Bayo Onanuga, who serves as the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, confirmed that Tinubu’s aim was to bring the warring factions back to the table.
“President Bola Tinubu hosted a reconciliation meeting on Thursday night at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, bringing together all the figures in the Rivers State political crisis,” Onanuga stated on X.
BACKGROUND CONTEXT
The rift between Wike and Fubara has persisted since 2023, fuelled by deep-seated political disagreements.
This feud intensified into a full-blown crisis, splitting the state legislature and resulting in the demolition of the Rivers State Assembly complex.
In response to escalating tensions and attacks on vital oil infrastructure, Tinubu imposed emergency rule on March 18, 2025, suspended both Fubara and the lawmakers, and appointed a sole administrator to manage the state’s affairs for an initial six-month period.
April saw Tinubu and Fubara meeting in London as part of efforts to ease tensions. Fubara later visited Tinubu again in Lagos on June 3, 2025.
Below are images from the president’s latest attempt to reconcile the major players at the heart of the Rivers State standoff.
