The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday confirmed that President Bola Tinubu has intervened in the ongoing political crisis between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that President Tinubu on Sunday night met with key political actors, including Messrs Wike and Fubara, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja in a renewed attempt to solve the lingering political crisis in Rivers State.
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Sunday’s meeting was the fourth time Mr Tinubu has intervened in the bitter power struggle in Rivers State.
‘This will be the last time’
Speaking to reporters in Abuja on Tuesday, Mr Wike expressed hope that Mr Tinubu’s latest intervention would be the end of the political crisis in the oil-rich state.
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A video clip which showed the FCT minister addressing the reporters has gone viral on social media.
The former Rivers governor said Mr Tinubu stepped in as a father figure to ensure peace and stability in the state, following a dispute between Governor Fubara and the state assembly members.
“This is the second time Mr President is intervening, and I believe, by the grace of God, this will be the last,” Mr Wike said.
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The FCT minister added that he has asked the assembly members to respect and comply with the president’s decisions.
He expressed confidence that both the lawmakers and Governor Fubara would adhere to the agreement reached, stressing that the governor would also play his part to ensure lasting peace.
“I also believe that this is the final time we must be hearing this kind of discord,’” he said.
He did not, however, disclose details of their meeting with President Tinubu and the agreements made by the parties.
Background
There has been a renewed political crisis in Rivers triggered by a seemingly intractable feud between Governor Fubara and Mr Wike.
Mr Wike influenced Mr Fubara’s emergence as governor in 2023, but both politicians fell out months after because of the struggle for control of the political structures in the oil-rich state.
President Tinubu had brokered two peace deals between the parties, but they all collapsed shortly after.
The crisis later resulted in the declaration of emergency rule in the state in 2025.
Mr Fubara, who was suspended by Mr Tinubu for six months alongside all elected officials in the state in March 2025, only returned to office in September of that year after the president declared an end to the emergency rule.
In early January, Mr Wike-backed members of the Rivers State House of Assembly commenced the third attempt to impeach Governor Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
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The House accused them of “gross misconduct,” including an alleged failure to comply with constitutional requirements, such as presenting the annual budget.
The impeachment move came shortly after Mr Wike accused Governor Fubara of reneging on an agreement they had in the last peace deal.
However, a high court in the state halted the impeachment move by restraining the assembly and the state’s chief judge from going ahead with it.
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