|Babatunji Wusu
-Tinubu Brokers Peace Between Wike, Fubara and Lawmakers at Aso Rock
–President Ends Months-Long Political Standoff in Rivers State
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reunited the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, ending a months-long political rift that threatened governance in the oil-rich state.
The breakthrough came during a closed-door peace meeting convened by Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, late Thursday night.
Confirming the development, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu once again showed leadership by prioritizing peace and stability in Rivers State.
“President Tinubu has demonstrated once again that he wants peace for Rivers State. Just like he brought together the political gladiators to sign a peace deal in December 2023, he repeated the same on Thursday night,” Onanuga posted on his official X handle on Friday morning.
“FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and House Speaker Martins Chike Amaewhule all took part in the peace talks at the Villa.”
The reconciliation meeting followed an earlier discussion among the feuding parties themselves—Fubara, Wike, and the lawmakers—before proceeding to the Villa to formally brief the President.
A source close to the presidency revealed that all parties signaled they had resolved their differences, noting that their body language after meeting with Tinubu indicated a major thaw in tensions.
The crisis, which began in late 2023, stemmed from a fierce power tussle between Wike and his political godson, Fubara, over the control of the state’s political machinery. The conflict had resulted in parallel legislative factions, executive suspensions, and a near-complete breakdown of lawmaking and governance.
In March 2025, Tinubu responded by declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state assembly. He also appointed Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (Rtd.) as the Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs temporarily.
Thursday’s peace accord marks the second time President Tinubu has personally mediated the crisis. In December 2023, he had earlier invited both sides to Aso Rock, leading to a signed truce that eventually broke down.
With this new resolution, there are strong indications that democratic governance may return to the state, pending the lifting of the emergency rule.
