Suspended Rivers Governor Fubara Secretly Meets Wike Again, Seeks Peace as Political Tension Boils

Governor Siminalayi Fubara, suspended since March 18, 2025, over the deepening crisis in Rivers State, has again held a private reconciliation meeting with Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and his estranged political godfather. The closed-door visit happened at Wike’s residence in Abuja on Monday, June 10, as confirmed by a reliable insider who dismissed the viral image of the duo as outdated.

This marks Fubara’s second known visit to Wike since his suspension, fueling speculation that backchannel negotiations are ongoing to end the bitter political feud that has crippled governance in the oil-rich state. Fubara’s attempt at mending fences comes as his six-month suspension enters the third month, with no official sign of resolution or restoration of his governorship position.

Sources close to the presidency revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who declared the state of emergency on March 18 following escalating threats from Niger Delta militants, has maintained communication lines with both Wike and Fubara. The president had earlier advised both men during a London meeting in April 2025 to “defuse tension and protect the stability of Rivers,” warning that oil revenue and national security were at stake.

Fubara’s suspension followed a political meltdown that started shortly after his inauguration in May 2023, when power struggles erupted over control of state machinery and finances. The once-loyal protégé fell out with Wike, triggering a chain reaction that split the Rivers State House of Assembly and prompted militants to threaten attacks on key oil facilities in the Niger Delta region.

The federal government’s drastic move to install Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.) as Sole Administrator was aimed at preventing total collapse of law and order. Despite criticisms from civil society and opposition leaders, the move brought temporary calm, though it left Rivers State without an elected executive for months.

Wike, speaking during a recent interview in Abuja, described Fubara as his “political son” and said he holds no personal grudge. He urged Fubara to “seek reconciliation with the broader Rivers political family,” including lawmakers and powerbrokers sidelined during the crisis. Yet, no public record exists showing that Fubara has taken steps beyond his meetings with Wike and Tinubu.

The stakes remain high. Rivers State, a key contributor to Nigeria’s oil earnings, cannot afford prolonged instability. With Fubara’s political future hanging by a thread and no official statement from the presidency on any roadmap to end the crisis, all eyes are on Abuja — and Wike’s next move could decide the fate of the Rivers power chessboard.