• Rivers governor to recognize FCT minister as ‘political leader’
• Issue of Fubara’s second term is premature, Tinubu tells feuding parties
• Wike’s candidates to be recognized in state Assembly by-elections
President Bola Tinubu has stepped in again to ease the growing conflict between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
This peace agreement follows months of failed attempts to settle their differences, which had nearly led to the governor's impeachment and caused significant instability in the state.
Previously, in December 2023, Tinubu attempted to mediate the discord between Fubara and Wike. That fragile peace quickly fell apart, resulting in Tinubu declaring a six-month state of emergency in the state on March 18, 2025, and temporarily suspending the governor.
In this recent bid to resolve one of Nigeria’s most intense political clashes, Tinubu ordered an immediate halt to any impeachment attempts against Fubara, but he set strict conditions.
Sources close to the matter told THISDAY that Tinubu laid down political terms just before his official trip to Türkiye on January 26. These terms aim to restore harmony between two major political figures in Rivers State, a state crucial for the president’s re-election in 2027.
Tinubu’s intervention included a clear message for Fubara: Wike is recognized as the political leader of the party, whether it’s the APC or the PDP in Rivers State, and he must be respected.
Sources indicated that the president expressed dissatisfaction over the ongoing conflict, despite his previous efforts, and warned that continued hostilities would harm governance and create further instability—a situation he would not tolerate.
Tinubu told Wike to refrain from any plans for Fubara's impeachment and to allow for effective governance in the state.
Fubara and Wike have had a rocky relationship since the governor's inauguration in May 2023. Wike, who backed Fubara’s rise, has sought to exert control from Abuja, while Fubara has resisted what many perceive as Wike's overreach.
The relationship began to deteriorate shortly after Fubara took office, as he quietly attempted to assert his independence, with political figures in the state taking sides. Notably, almost all state lawmakers have aligned with Wike.
As a result, efforts to impeach Fubara arose from Wike's supporters in the House of Assembly. Although the governor has tried to navigate the situation several times, the threat of impeachment looms every time tensions flare with Wike.
Multiple efforts to resolve the crisis have failed to yield lasting peace. The breakdown of a peace meeting led to the state of emergency in the oil-rich state, which lasted for six months.
While Wike’s camp continues to accuse Fubara of betrayal, the governor's supporters argue that Rivers State should not be governed by a former governor and current FCT minister from outside the state.
In the latest effort to end this ongoing conflict, an insider shared the president's viewpoint, drawing a comparison to Lagos State, where Sanwo-Olu leads the party.
Tinubu reportedly asked, “Is Babajide Sanwo-Olu my leader in Lagos, or was Babatunde Fashola my leader when he was governor?”
He also emphasized that Fubara should respect his elders, stating that Wike is a senior figure in Rivers politics and should be treated as such. Tinubu made it clear that political seniority should not be dismissed due to personal disagreements.
As part of the peace agreement, the president instructed Wike and his supporters to immediately stop all impeachment-related actions against Fubara, citing his primary concern for stability in Rivers State.
In return, Fubara was directed to make significant concessions, with the key point being the formal recognition of Wike as the “political leader” in Rivers State, holding final authority on party matters.
Sources mentioned that Tinubu emphasized that all internal party disputes in the state should ultimately defer to Wike.
However, Wike's position is complicated by the fact that he is not an official member of the APC in Rivers State. He remains part of the struggling opposition PDP, even while serving as a high-ranking minister in the ruling APC government—an arrangement he has used to weaken his own party, PDP.
Additionally, the agreement included the upcoming state House of Assembly bye-elections in Rivers State. Tinubu ordered that candidates loyal to Wike should be recognized by the APC leadership for the two vacant assembly seats. “It was clearly stated that Wike has two candidates for the bye-elections and that those candidates are to be recognized by the APC party structure,” one source noted.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set February 21, 2026, for the contentious bye-elections in Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies.
Visblog learned that the Ahoada-East II seat became vacant due to the resignation of its former holder, Edison Ehie, who was appointed Chief of Staff to Governor Fubara. The Khana II seat has been vacant since the death of its lawmaker, Dinebari Loolo, in September 2023.
Notably, the delicate issue of Fubara’s ambition for a second term was discussed but set aside, as the president reportedly stated that such discussions are too early. One source said Tinubu referred to any talk about the 2027 governorship in the state as premature.