The presidency has confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held a high-stakes reconciliation meeting with key political stakeholders from Rivers State on Thursday night, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the suspended Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara.
The meeting, which took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was also attended by the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, as well as several members of the state legislature.
Confirming the development, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said President Tinubu convened the session to end the lingering political impasse in the oil-rich state.
Onanuga posted via his handle on 𝕏, “Tinubu brokers Rivers peace talks
“President Bola Tinubu hosted a reconciliation meeting on Thursday night at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, bringing together all the figures in the Rivers State political crisis.
“Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and other Rivers State Assembly members attended the closed-door session.”
“On March 18, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy, and all the State House of Assembly members.”
In another post, he wrote, “President Tinubu has demonstrated once again that he wants peace for Rivers State. Just like he brought together the political gladiators to sign a peace deal in December 2023, he repeated the same on Thursday night, three months after he imposed the March 18 state of emergency. FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and House Speaker Martins Chike Amaewhule all took part in the peace talks at the Villa.”
Since 2023, Rivers State has been gripped by a power tussle between Wike, a former governor and current FCT minister, and Fubara, his successor.
Their fallout, once subtle, escalated into open confrontation that split the Rivers Assembly into rival factions and led to the demolition of the legislative complex.
In response to mounting tensions, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, citing threats to oil infrastructure and public order.
The declaration led to the suspension of Fubara and all state lawmakers, with the federal government appointing a sole administrator, Ibokette Ibas to manage the state’s affairs for an initial period of six months.