President Tinubu Meets Wike, Fubara, and Rivers Assembly Members Amid Political Crisis

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday held a crucial meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja with key political figures from Rivers State, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Martins Amaewhule, and several lawmakers. The meeting aimed to address the ongoing political tensions in the state. President Tinubu noted that the inability of Governor Fubara and the state assembly to cooperate, coupled with security concerns, necessitated federal intervention.

Images from the meeting suggested a thaw in relations, with President Tinubu, Governor Fubara, and Minister Wike seen smiling and exchanging pleasantries, hinting at possible progress toward resolving the protracted political impasse.

Although no official statement was released by the Presidency or attendees, signs point to a potential resolution of the state of emergency imposed on Rivers State in March 2025.

In response to escalating tensions between the factions loyal to Fubara and those aligned with Amaewhule and Wike, President Tinubu had declared a state of emergency, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy, and members of the Rivers House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. He invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, citing the need to prevent further deterioration of governance in the oil-rich state.

Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.) was appointed to oversee the administration of the state during the emergency.

The suspension sparked nationwide backlash, with several prominent Nigerians and civil society groups, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Atedo Peterside, Nasir El-Rufai, Femi Falana, the Nigerian Bar Association, the Labour Party, the PDP, and PANDEF - condemning the move as unconstitutional.

The prolonged power struggle between the two parties has spanned two years, fueled by a fierce contest over control of the state's political structure. At the height of the standoff, the Amaewhule-led faction, aligned with Wike, threatened Fubara's impeachment, accusing him of defying a Supreme Court ruling. The escalating crisis prompted the federal government to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, an extraordinary measure not seen since 2013, when then President Goodluck Jonathan imposed similar action in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states amid the Boko Haram insurgency.