President Bola Tinubu is expected to reinstate the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and the State House of Assembly later this month, following a peace agreement between Fubara and his political rival, Nyesom Wike.
The President hosted a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday night, where both men, along with key lawmakers, agreed to end their political fight.
A source close to the talks told The PUNCH, “Fubara is happy with the peace brokered by the President. The deal for Fubara’s return is sealed.”
The crisis in Rivers State began in October 2023 when Fubara and Wike, a former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), clashed over political control. It worsened in March 2025, when Tinubu declared a state of emergency, suspending the governor, his deputy, and all 32 state lawmakers for six months. The President blamed Fubara for failing to stop security issues like pipeline vandalism.
During the crisis, the State House of Assembly was bombed, explosions rocked Port Harcourt during protests, and party offices were set on fire.
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The Supreme Court later reinstated pro-Wike lawmakers and the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule. They gave Fubara a 48-hour deadline to re-submit the state budget but denied him entry into the Assembly complex.
By March, the Assembly had served impeachment notices to Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu. Tinubu then appointed a retired naval chief, Ibok-Ete Ibas, as interim administrator of the state.
Now, Tinubu appears ready to end the emergency early.
A source said, “At the latest, Fubara should resume as Rivers State Governor this month. Once the President returns from Saint Lucia and Brazil, he will make the formal announcement.”
There had been rumors that Fubara’s reinstatement would be followed by his resignation. But a Presidency official denied this, saying, “No such condition was given.”
However, sources say the peace deal does place serious limits on Fubara. He has reportedly agreed not to run for a second term and will hand control of local governments to Wike, who will nominate all 23 LGA chairmen.
Another source said, “The deal is about restoring calm—but it comes at a steep cost for Fubara.”
Fubara has also agreed to pay outstanding entitlements to the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers who defected to the APC during the crisis but remained in the House of Assembly.
After the reconciliation meeting, Wike told reporters, “We have all agreed to work together with the governor. Yes, just like humans, you have a disagreement, and then you settle it—and that has been finally concluded today.”
Governor Fubara also expressed his commitment to peace. “What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace… peace has returned. We’ll do everything within our power to make sure we sustain it this time around,” he said.
As a show of unity, Fubara has dissolved his political support groups such as the “Simplified Movement.” A PDP chieftain, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, confirmed this, saying it was a step toward “reintegration.”
“We were one family before, and now that peace has returned, there has to be reintegration. That is what it means,” Nwuke said.