Isaac Samuel
President Bola Tinubu has again intervened in the protracted political crisis in Rivers State, directing an immediate halt to impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara while urging a political rapprochement with his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Presidency sources said the intervention came just before Tinubu departed for an official visit to Türkiye on January 26, as the president moved to prevent further escalation of tensions that had threatened governance and stability in the oil-rich state.
Insiders familiar with the development disclosed that Tinubu instructed Wike and lawmakers aligned with him to suspend any impeachment plot against the governor.
In the same breath, the president was said to have advised Fubara to recognise Wike’s political influence in Rivers State and accord him due respect as a senior political figure.
The latest move is Tinubu’s second major attempt to broker peace between the two leaders since the crisis began shortly after Fubara assumed office in May 2023.
An earlier truce brokered by the president in December 2023 eventually collapsed, culminating in the declaration of a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025.
Those close to the discussions said the president expressed displeasure at the persistence of the crisis despite earlier efforts, warning that continued hostilities would erode governance and public confidence in the state.
The rift between Fubara and Wike has sharply divided the state’s political class.
Wike, who played a decisive role in Fubara’s emergence as governor, is accused by the governor’s camp of attempting to retain control of the political structure from Abuja.
Conversely, Wike’s allies have accused Fubara of political betrayal and ingratitude.
The division has extended to the Rivers State House of Assembly, where a majority of lawmakers are believed to be loyal to Wike.
This alignment has repeatedly fuelled impeachment threats against the governor, creating prolonged uncertainty in the state’s political environment.
Sources said Tinubu emphasised the need for internal political cohesion and stability, stressing that disputes within the party structure in Rivers should be managed in a manner that preserves order and continuity of governance.
Tinubu’s intervention came with a blunt message to Fubara: Wike remains the undisputed political leader of the party, whether APC or Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, and he must be respected in that regard.
An insider recounted the president’s thinking, drawing a parallel with Lagos State, where Sanwo-Olu is the leader of the party.
Tinubu was said to have stated, “Is Babajide Sanwo-Olu my leader in Lagos, or was Babatunde Fashola my leader when he was governor?”.
The president was equally said to have stated that Fubara should respect elders, saying Wike is an elder statesman in Rivers politics and should be regarded as such.
Tinubu made it clear that political seniority could not be wished away because of personal disagreements.
As part of the understanding, the president reportedly urged both camps to prioritise the interest of the state over personal grievances and to avoid actions that could further inflame tensions.
In return, Fubara was instructed to make significant concessions. Chief among them was the formal recognition of Wike as the “political leader” in Rivers State, with final authority on party matters.
Sources said Tinubu stressed that all internal party disputes in the state must ultimately defer to Wike.
However, the complexity of Wike’s case is that he is not a card-carrying member of APC in Rivers State. Officially, he remains a member of the struggling opposition PDP, although he is a top minister under the ruling APC government – A position he has used to weaken his party, the PDP.
Besides, the understanding covered the upcoming state House of Assembly bye-elections in Rivers State. Tinubu directed that candidates loyal to Wike should be recognised by the APC leadership for the two vacant assembly seats.
Already, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 21, 2026 for the contentious by-elections into Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies of the state
The development is expected to ease immediate political pressure on the governor and create room for renewed dialogue between the two camps, even as observers watch to see whether the latest presidential intervention will yield lasting calm.
