The ongoing political crisis in Rivers State took center stage on Tuesday when the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara refused to acknowledge each other during a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Both Wike and Fubara were part of a delegation from Ogoniland that met with the President to discuss the resumption of oil production in the region. However, their frosty relationship was evident throughout the engagement.
A source at the meeting revealed, “Though both of them posed for a photograph with the President, they did not exchange pleasantries. No hug. No greetings. Everyone went straight into the meeting with the President, and after it ended, we all left.”
The source added that Wike left immediately after the group photograph to continue inspecting and commissioning projects, emphasizing that the meeting was strictly about business. “As a minister from Rivers, Wike must be present whenever the President is meeting with a delegation from the state. The meeting was not a platform for discussing the Rivers political crisis,” he said.
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No Reconciliation Talks
Speculations about a possible reconciliation between the two political heavyweights were dismissed, as the meeting provided no opportunity for such discussions. “The President only engaged Magnus Abe during the meeting, noting that he hadn’t seen him in a while. Magnus replied that he had been working with the FCT Minister. At that point, Wike confirmed that Magnus had been working with him,” the source disclosed.
This development follows Wike’s declaration during a live television interview last Monday, where he stated unequivocally that he would not reconcile with Governor Fubara as long as the current crisis persisted.
PANDEF Steps In
In a bid to resolve the impasse, the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) has set up a peace committee headed by former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah. The committee aims to bring Wike and Fubara to the negotiating table for possible reconciliation.
A source close to the committee expressed optimism about the initiative, saying, “This is yet another golden opportunity for both of them to end the fight and make up for peace so that Rivers State can move forward. The crisis is not doing the state any good. They must end this fight and utilize the opportunity offered by PANDEF.”
Background of the Crisis
The fallout between Wike and Fubara, once political allies, has left Rivers State in a state of political uncertainty. Analysts have warned that the prolonged conflict between the two leaders is detrimental to the state’s development and could weaken its influence at the national level.
As both men remain at odds, Rivers State citizens and stakeholders continue to call for peace, urging them to prioritize the state’s progress over personal differences. Whether the PANDEF-led reconciliation effort will succeed remains to be seen, but the stakes for Rivers State could not be higher.