The lingering crisis between the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), Nyesom Wike, will soon be resolved as both parties have agreed to a peace arrangement facilitated by a former and incumbent Ogun State governor, Olusegun Osoba and Dapo Abiodun respectively.

Chief Osoba confirmed that both parties met at Wike’s Abuja residence, but he dismissed the story that Fubara prostrated to beg his former boss.

According to him, it is only in Yoruba culture that the younger ones prostrate as a sign of respect to the elders, but that is not applicable to other cultures in Nigeria. Both parties simply had a toast of wine as a sign of their readiness to let go of their grievances.

He also dismissed the insinuation surrounding the story that Fubara was taken to Wike’s residence in Abuja to mean that the suspended governor is begging or planning to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said, “Under normal circumstances, Wike was Fubara’s boss for many years and he (Wike) is also senior to Fubara in age. It is therefore normal that the governor would be the one to be taken to his former boss. There was nothing outrageous or abnormal about that.”

The former Ogun State governor further disclosed that a series of meetings had been held earlier to broker peace between the duo before the last one, which were not known to the press.

Other credible sources privy to the meetings also said that though Fubara expressed sincere remorse for his past actions at every engagement, the FCT Minister himself is so worried about the lingering Rivers crisis between him and his successor and that he is willing to embrace peace “not only for any other thing but for the sake of the state and the economic importance of Rivers to Nigeria.”

Although the nitty-gritty of what led to Wike and Fubara’s feud was never discussed at any of the meetings, a source said, “This was left to both of them to resolve. What is paramount is that no matter what the minister must have done to offend the suspended governor, one thing is certain: the governor ought to have handled the situation with a lot of caution and maturity.”

The talks are expected to continue, with both politicians scheduled to meet again soon to finalise the reconciliation process.

It was unfortunate that the longstanding political crisis between Fubara and Wike has caused significant instability in Rivers State over the past two years.

This division ultimately led President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state on March 18, 2025.

In response to the crisis, the President appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs.

The state of emergency declaration was approved by the National Assembly on March 20, despite facing strong public backlash. In response, 11 PDP governors filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court, challenging the constitutionality of the decision.

The Deputy National Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Timothy Osadolor, while speaking to newsmen, urged Fubara not to compromise the interests of Rivers State for personal political gain.

Osadolor acknowledged the importance of the peace talks but cautioned that the integrity of the state must come first.
“The issue began as a personal dispute but escalated into a national matter, involving constitutional overreach.
“If Fubara’s apology was out of respect for African tradition, that’s fine. But he must not sacrifice the interests of Rivers State for his own position,” Osadolor said.

Osadolor also criticised President Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency, calling it both unjustified and constitutionally flawed.

He argued that Rivers State, which had been relatively peaceful, was unfairly singled out for such drastic measures while other states with more significant security concerns did not face similar actions.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has also expressed support for the peace talks, commending its leaders for their role in mediating the dispute.

The APC’s Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, praised the party’s leadership, stating that the peace effort was not motivated by political interests but by a desire to ensure stability and good governance in Rivers State.

“For APC leaders to broker peace, it shows our commitment to unity and good governance.

“Our party understands the importance of peace in governance and aims to promote peaceful coexistence, regardless of the individuals involved,” Ibrahim said.

A former member of the House of Representatives from Rivers, Bernard Mikko, said Rivers State is ready to embrace peace but not at the expense of the people. He also urged President Bola Tinubu to do whatever is in his power to ensure that peace reigns in the state, just as he pleaded with him to ensure that Fubara returns to the Government House in Rivers as soon as possible.

He also said the people of the state would be interested to know the real cause of the rift between the duo.