President Bola Tinubu has again intervened to halt the escalating political crisis in Rivers State, stepping in to stop impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara amid his prolonged feud with his predecessor and estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike, this online medium exclusively reports.
The fresh intervention followed months of failed reconciliation efforts that plunged the oil-rich state into political instability, legislative paralysis and threats to democratic governance.
Highly placed sources told Journalists that Tinubu acted shortly before departing Nigeria for an official visit to Türkiye on January 26, ordering an immediate suspension of all impeachment actions against Fubara, but with strict political conditions attached.
The president had previously intervened in December 2023, brokering a fragile truce between both camps.
That agreement later collapsed, culminating in the declaration of a six-month emergency rule in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, during which Governor Fubara was suspended.
Tinubu Lays Down Terms
According to sources familiar with the latest peace deal, Tinubu made it clear that Wike remains the undisputed political leader in Rivers State, irrespective of party affiliations, and must be accorded due recognition.
The president was said to be visibly displeased with the depth of the crisis, warning that continued hostilities would undermine governance and threaten stability in a state considered critical to his 2027 re-election strategy.
Tinubu reportedly directed Wike to immediately halt all impeachment-related plots against Fubara and allow governance to proceed unhindered.
At the same time, the president issued a firm warning to Fubara, insisting that political seniority and structures must be respected. One source quoted Tinubu as drawing a comparison with Lagos State politics, saying:
“Is Babajide Sanwo-Olu my leader in Lagos, or was Babatunde Fashola my leader when he was governor?”
The president was said to have stressed that personal disagreements do not erase political hierarchy, adding that Wike should be treated as an elder statesman in Rivers politics.
Roots of the Crisis
Fubara and Wike’s relationship deteriorated shortly after the governor’s swearing-in in May 2023, despite Wike having played a decisive role in his emergence as governor.
The rift deepened as Fubara attempted to assert his independence, resisting what his allies describe as Wike’s continued control of state affairs from Abuja. This struggle for dominance split political actors in the state, with the majority of lawmakers aligning with Wike.
Repeated impeachment attempts against Fubara by the pro-Wike faction of the House of Assembly have kept the governor under constant threat, with several mediation efforts failing to produce lasting peace.
While Wike’s camp accuses Fubara of betrayal and political ingratitude, the governor’s supporters argue that Rivers State cannot be governed remotely by a former governor now serving as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Assembly Elections and Party Control
As part of the latest peace arrangement, Tinubu reportedly directed that Wike’s loyalists be recognised by the APC leadership in the upcoming Rivers State House of Assembly bye-elections.
Sources said the president explicitly stated that candidates backed by Wike for the Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies must be accommodated by the party structure.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 21, 2026, for the by-elections. The Ahoada East II seat became vacant following the resignation of its occupant, Edison Ehie, who was appointed Chief of Staff to Governor Fubara, while the Khana II seat has remained vacant since the death of its lawmaker, Dinebari Loolo, in September 2023.
Second-Term Question Deferred
Sources disclosed that the sensitive issue of Fubara’s second-term ambition also arose during discussions but was deliberately deferred. Tinubu reportedly described any conversation around the 2027 governorship race as premature.
Despite Wike’s influential role, the situation remains politically complex, as he is officially still a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, even while serving as a key minister in the APC-led federal government.
