Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria — Suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, don dey make moves to ease political tension for di state after him meet with President Bola Tinubu for London. Di meeting happen during Tinubu’s 18-day retreat for Europe, and na Fubara request am, as confirmed by The Africa Report.
Though details of di meeting no fit confirm am, one senior adviser to di president talk say, “Fubara pledge to make certain concessions in a bid to ease tensions.” Di adviser also mention say negotiations dey ongoing, and im suspension fit end before di six-month deadline.
“E true say Governor Fubara hold private meeting with di president last week. Fubara don promise to make some compromises. Negotiations dey ongoing, but from wetin I hear, him suspension go fit lift before di six-month mark,” di adviser wey talk on condition of anonymity add.
Another aide claim say Fubara dey consider switching from di opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to di ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to gain Tinubu’s favor. “If Fubara join APC, e mean say di president go get better chance to win Rivers State,” di aide tell di French publication.
Presidential aides wey our correspondent contact no dey with di president during him private trip, so dem no witness di closed-door meeting. Dis meeting na di first face-to-face since Tinubu invoke Section 305 of di 1999 Constitution on March 18, declaring state of emergency for Rivers and remove Fubara and him deputy, Ngozi Odu.
In him national broadcast for March 18, Tinubu talk say, “Months of intense political instability don paralyze governance and dey threaten national stability.” He create new administration for di state led by former Navy Chief, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.
Di political crisis wey dey happen for dis oil-rich state na due to power struggle between Fubara and him estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike, wey now be Minister for di Federal Capital Territory. Di wahala increase after Fubara demolish di House of Assembly complex for December 2023, causing long battle over di legitimacy of di legislative arm.
Things worsen when 27 lawmakers wey loyal to Wike leave PDP for APC, leading to legal disputes over dia status. On February 28, 2025, di Supreme Court rule say di lawmakers still be valid members of di Assembly, as dem find fault for di governor’s actions wey dem call unconstitutional and like despotism.
Di judgment state say Rivers State don effectively collapse into one-man rule because di absence of functional legislature. Despite di ruling, governance still dey stall, with di Assembly and executive no dey cooperate. As of March 2025, di state’s annual Appropriation Bill never pass.
Just hours before Tinubu declare emergency rule, two explosions happen, one for section of di Trans Niger Pipeline for Bodo Community and another ruptured a pipeline manifold for di Omwawriwa axis of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area. During dis time, Tinubu express concern over di vandalization of oil pipelines by militants wey some people dey accuse of supporting Fubara.
Di president agree to meet Fubara to discuss how to restore functional governance for di oil-rich state. Although no be all details of di talks dey public, sources indicate say Fubara fit regain power before di six-month suspension end in September. Wike, wey now di FCT Minister, no dey part of di meeting and he dey nervous about di talks proceeding without am.
Tinubu dey expect to meet Fubara, Wike, and di Rivers State lawmakers to find lasting solution to di political crisis for di state.
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