President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reached a truce in the prolonged political crisis in Rivers State, paving the way for the reinstatement of suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara under strict conditions.
According to credible sources, the agreement was brokered during a closed-door meeting held on Thursday night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Attending the high-stakes meeting were President Tinubu, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, Governor Fubara, suspended Rivers Assembly Speaker Martin Amaewhule, and select lawmakers.
Insiders disclosed that the resolution is part of a broader effort by the presidency to restore democratic order in the state and end months of escalating political tension.
As part of the deal, Governor Fubara will be reinstated to serve out the remainder of his first four-year term but must renounce any intention to seek a second term in 2027. In what analysts describe as a heavy political concession, this condition is designed to ease tensions between Fubara and his former political benefactor, Wike.
Furthermore, Wike will be granted the authority to nominate all local government chairpersons across the 23 LGAs in Rivers State — effectively restoring his grassroots political grip. This key provision is viewed as a major political victory for the FCT Minister.
Additionally, Fubara has agreed to pay all outstanding entitlements owed to the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike who had earlier been suspended from the Rivers State House of Assembly. In exchange, the lawmakers have pledged not to initiate any impeachment proceedings against him.
These 27 lawmakers — led by Amaewhule — had previously defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) amid the heated power tussle, yet continued to claim their seats, prompting legal and political controversy over their status.
Sources from the presidency described the outcome of the meeting as a breakthrough for Tinubu’s peace efforts, albeit with significant political costs for Fubara.
“The arrangement is clear: no second term, no local government control, and peace will return,” one source said.
Another source emphasized, “The President made it clear that Rivers cannot afford a prolonged crisis. The deal is about restoring calm, but it comes at a steep cost for Fubara.”
Observers note that while the arrangement brings a semblance of stability, it leaves Wike with substantial influence over Rivers politics, especially as the 2027 general elections draw closer.
“Wike is the real winner here. By controlling the local government chairmen, he retains significant influence over the state’s political machinery,” a source familiar with the negotiation concluded.
This development marks a major turning point in the state’s political saga, with national implications for party alignments, political loyalties, and governance in the South-South region.
