President Bola Tinubu has stepped in once more to douse the simmering political fire in Rivers State, ordering an immediate halt to any impeachment plot against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and directing both camps to embrace a political truce.
The fresh intervention, coming after months of failed reconciliation efforts, follows a crisis that paralysed the State House of Assembly, deepened factional divisions and, at its peak, led to the declaration of a six-month state of emergency in the oil-rich state on March 18, 2025.
According to ThisDay Newspaper, which cited multiple sources familiar with the development, Tinubu acted just before departing for an official trip to Türkiye on January 26, issuing firm political directives aimed at restoring calm in a state widely regarded as strategic to his 2027 re-election plans.
Sources said the president gave a clear instruction to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to back off any impeachment-related actions against Fubara, warning that further escalation would worsen instability and disrupt governance.
At the same time, Tinubu reportedly set conditions for the governor, insisting that Fubara must acknowledge Wike’s influence in Rivers politics and accord him due respect in party matters.
One insider quoted the president as drawing a comparison with Lagos politics to stress political hierarchy. “Is Babajide Sanwo-Olu my leader in Lagos, or was Babatunde Fashola my leader when he was governor?” Tinubu was said to have asked.
The statement, sources noted, underscored the president’s belief in political seniority and the need for internal party discipline.
The feud between Fubara and Wike began shortly after the governor assumed office in May 2023, despite Wike’s pivotal role in his emergence. As Fubara moved to assert independence, lawmakers loyal to Wike, who dominate the Assembly, reportedly resisted, triggering a cycle of impeachment threats and political standoffs.
Several peace meetings failed to yield lasting results, culminating in emergency rule last year.
While Wike’s camp accuses Fubara of political betrayal, the governor’s supporters maintain that Rivers cannot be administered remotely from Abuja by a former governor turned minister.
As part of the latest peace framework, Tinubu was said to have directed that internal party disagreements in Rivers State must ultimately recognise Wike’s standing as political leader.
The arrangement reportedly extends to the forthcoming House of Assembly bye-elections slated for February 21, 2026, in Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies. Sources said the president directed that candidates aligned with Wike be acknowledged by the APC structure for the two seats.
The Ahoada East II vacancy followed the resignation of Edison Ehie, now Chief of Staff to Fubara, while Khana II has remained vacant since the death of its lawmaker, Dinebari Loolo, in September 2023.
Sources further disclosed that the issue of Fubara’s second-term ambition surfaced during discussions but was deliberately deferred, with Tinubu reportedly describing conversations about the 2027 governorship race in Rivers as premature.
Tinubu had earlier brokered a fragile peace between the two political actors in December 2023, which later collapsed and paved the way for the deepening crisis that followed.
