President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, met behind closed doors with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Martins Amaewhule, and several members of the Assembly in a high-level reconciliation meeting.
According to Channels TV, the gathering was aimed at resolving the political impasse that prompted the President to declare a state of emergency in Rivers on March 18.
Significantly, this marks Governor Fubara’s first appearance at Aso Rock since the President suspended him, his deputy Dr. Ngozi Odu, and the state’s legislative arm as part of the emergency rule.
President Tinubu explained at the time that the drastic measure was driven by “the inability of the governor and the state Assembly to find ways to work together and the security situation in the state, among other things.”
Images from Thursday’s parley suggest progress in resolving the prolonged standoff, with one widely circulated photograph capturing Tinubu, Fubara, and Wike smiling together, an image many interpret as a hopeful sign of reconciliation.
While no official statement has yet been issued by the presidency or any of the involved parties, sources close to the meeting hinted that the emergency rule in Rivers may soon be lifted as peace efforts gain traction.
Short video clips from the meeting revealed a warmer atmosphere, with previously estranged parties engaging in handshakes, shared laughter, and photo ops, marking a notable shift from months of hostility.
The crisis reached its peak when, in a national address on March 18, 2025, President Tinubu announced the suspension of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Odu, and members of the Rivers Assembly for six months, invoking Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.
He declared, “he can’t continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking any action.”
In an unprecedented move, Tinubu appointed retired naval chief Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd) as sole administrator to oversee the affairs of the oil-rich state.
However, the suspension of democratically elected leaders sparked widespread outrage. Prominent voices including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Atedo Peterside, Nasir El-Rufai, Femi Falana, and organizations like the Labour Party (LP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nigerian Bar Association, and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) strongly condemned the President’s action.
For over two years, Rivers State has been gripped by a power struggle between Wike and his former protégé Fubara, with the battle for political dominance dividing the state’s leadership.
At one point, the Amaewhule-led Assembly, aligned with Wike, threatened to impeach Fubara for allegedly failing to enforce a Supreme Court decision.
Prior to this, the last instance of emergency rule in Nigeria occurred on May 14, 2013, when then-President Goodluck Jonathan imposed it in the insurgency-hit northeastern states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa.
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