Following months of political tension in Rivers State, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, confirmed on Thursday night that the longstanding dispute between him and Governor Siminalayi Fubara has been formally resolved. The breakthrough came after a peace meeting convened by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Speaking to journalists after the closed-door session, Wike stated, “We have all agreed to work together with the governor, and the governor also agreed to work together with all of us. We are members of the same political family.” He acknowledged the duration of the crisis but emphasized that the agreement reached was definitive. “Yes, just like humans, you have a disagreement, and then you also have a time to settle your disagreement. And that has been finally concluded today, and we have come to report to Mr. President, that is what we have agreed. So for me, everything is over.”
Wike urged political supporters to embrace peace and unity, saying, “And I enjoin everybody who believes to work with us, to also work together with everybody, that there’s no more acrimony. There’s nothing to say.”
In a separate statement, Governor Fubara described the reconciliation as a moment of divine intervention and a pivotal moment for Rivers State’s future. “For me, it’s a day we have to thank Almighty God. For me, it’s very important that this day has come to be,” he remarked. He stressed the critical role peace plays in the state’s development, adding, “What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace, and by the special grace of God, this night, with the help of Mr. President and the agreement of the leaders of the state, our leader, peace has returned in Rivers State.”
Fubara also pledged to safeguard the fragile unity achieved, promising, “We’ll do everything within our power to make sure that we sustain it this time around.”
Okay.ng reports that the political fallout between Wike and Fubara began shortly after Fubara assumed office in May 2023. The situation escalated in October when Wike’s loyalists in the Rivers State House of Assembly initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara. The governor responded by demolishing the Assembly complex after a suspicious fire, relocating legislative activities to temporary quarters.
The ensuing months saw a governance crisis in Rivers State, prompting President Tinubu’s intervention in December 2023. A fragile peace deal was brokered, with Fubara conceding several political appointments to Wike’s allies. However, the accord collapsed, leading to a state of emergency declaration by President Tinubu on March 18, 2025. This move suspended Fubara’s executive powers for six months and installed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd.) as sole administrator.
This latest development signals a hopeful turning point for Rivers State, with both leaders committed to working collaboratively for the state’s progress.
