President Bola Tinubu has once more waded into the protracted political feud in Rivers State, convening key stakeholders for discussions aimed at halting escalating tensions between Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Reports from multiple sources indicate that the late-night meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday involved Wike, Fubara, and other prominent figures from the state, with details emerging of a potential truce that includes Fubara’s alleged pledge to avoid further disrespect toward his predecessor.
According to a report by The Nation newspaper on Monday, the President held talks with the parties, after which Governor Fubara accompanied Wike to his residence in Guzape, Abuja. The publication stated that Fubara “begged the minister, vowing never to show him disrespect again,” suggesting a move toward reconciliation amid the state’s ongoing power struggles. This account aligns with broader narratives from outlets like ThisDay and Arise News, which detailed Tinubu’s directive for an immediate suspension of any impeachment proceedings against Fubara by Wike-aligned lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The intervention, reportedly occurring just before Tinubu’s official trip to Türkiye on January 26, 2026, imposed strict conditions, as per sources cited in ThisDay. These include Fubara’s recognition of Wike as the “undisputed political leader” of Rivers State, transcending party lines—Wike remains in the Peoples Democratic Party while holding a federal position under the All Progressives Congress administration. In exchange, Wike and his supporters were instructed to cease impeachment efforts and respect the governor’s office. Arise News reported that the President emphasized political seniority and stability, viewing Rivers as crucial to his potential 2027 re-election bid.
This marks at least the third major presidential involvement in the crisis. Earlier efforts included a December 2023 peace accord brokered by Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, which produced an eight-point resolution calling for the withdrawal of court cases, reinstatement of pro-Wike lawmakers, and recognition of the state assembly’s legitimacy. However, compliance faltered, with Fubara’s camp accusing Wike’s allies of non-adherence, leading to renewed hostilities. The situation deteriorated further, prompting Tinubu to declare a six-month state of emergency on March 18, 2025, suspending Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Ordu, amid claims of governance breakdown, as documented in official gazettes and reported by outlets like Punch Newspapers.
During the emergency period, an interim administration oversaw the state, but upon its expiration in September 2025, underlying divisions resurfaced, including disputes over local government allocations and party control. A fresh impeachment plot emerged in early 2026, fueled by 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike defecting from the PDP to the APC in December 2023—a move later contested in courts. The Supreme Court, in a July 2025 ruling, affirmed the defectors’ seats as vacant, triggering by-elections that further polarized the assembly.
Rivers State’s political turbulence has deep roots in Nigeria’s post-colonial governance challenges, particularly in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. Since the return to civilian rule in 1999, the state has been a PDP stronghold, with governors like Peter Odili (1999-2007) and Chibuike Amaechi (2007-2015) navigating ethnic balances among the Ikwerre, Ijaw, and other groups. Wike, an Ikwerre native, rose as Amaechi’s chief of staff before succeeding him in 2015 after a bitter fallout that saw Amaechi defect to the APC and back Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential bid.
Wike’s tenure from 2015 to 2023 was marked by infrastructure projects, including roads and flyovers in Port Harcourt, but also by controversies over fiscal management and suppression of opposition. He handpicked Fubara, his former accountant-general and an Ijaw from Opobo, as successor in the 2023 elections, where the PDP secured victory amid national shifts that brought Tinubu to power. The godfather-godson relationship soured within months, with Fubara alleging undue interference in state affairs and Wike accusing betrayal, including attempts to probe his administration.
The feud has manifested in dramatic events: An October 2023 explosion at the state assembly complex, attributed by police to arson amid impeachment threats; violent clashes between supporter factions; and legal battles over the 2024 state budget, which Fubara presented to a four-member assembly after the defection saga. Economic impacts have been severe, with the United Nations reporting in 2025 that political instability disrupted oil production in the region, contributing to a 15% dip in Nigeria’s crude output and exacerbating national revenue shortfalls.
Critics have questioned the efficacy of Tinubu’s repeated mediations. Political analyst Mahmud Jega, in comments to Arise Television and Peoples Daily on February 5, 2026, argued that the latest intervention “will perpetuate the crisis, instead of resolving it,” by effectively endorsing Wike’s dominance over both PDP and APC structures in Rivers. Jega highlighted the unprecedented nature of a president blessing cross-party control, potentially undermining opposition dynamics ahead of 2027. Similarly, Niger Delta ex-agitator General Endurance Amagbein, in a February 2026 statement reported by Niger Delta Insider, urged Tinubu for a decisive settlement to prevent violence and looting by opportunists.
Official responses remain sparse. The Presidency has not issued a formal communique on the meeting, though aides have privately described it as a “family affair” to foster unity, per sources in Legit News. Wike, in public remarks during a January 2026 event covered by Facebook posts, credited Tinubu’s earlier emergency declaration with averting chaos, stating it “saved Rivers State from collapse.” Fubara, meanwhile, has emphasized governance focus, announcing in a December 2025 address the completion of legacy projects like the Eleme section of the East-West Road, amid the distractions.
As the dust settles from this latest round, observers note the fragility of any truce. Court cases linger, including appeals over the defectors’ status and budget validity, with the Court of Appeal scheduling hearings for March 2026. Community leaders from groups like the Ijaw Youth Council have called for grassroots dialogue, warning in a January 2026 communique that elite-driven conflicts risk reigniting militancy in the Delta, reminiscent of the 2000s era when groups like the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta disrupted oil operations, costing Nigeria billions in lost revenue.
The intervention underscores Rivers’ strategic importance: As Nigeria’s top oil-producing state, contributing over 20% of national crude according to 2025 Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission data, its stability affects federal allocations and investor confidence. Yet, with 2027 elections looming, the interplay of personal ambitions and party loyalties may test the limits of presidential mediation.
