President Bola Tinubu is willing to lift the emergency rule on Rivers State and reinstate Siminalayi Fubara governor on condition that he won’t seek re-election in 2027.
The Cable reports that President Tinubu has agreed to reinstate Fubara but on the strict condition that he will not seek re-election at the end of his current tenure in 2027, and that his rival. Nyesom Wike will have the privilege to hand-pick local government chairmen.
The agreement was reached during a closed-door meeting held Thursday night at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
In attendance were Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Wike; Governor Fubara; Martin Amaewhule, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly; and a few other lawmakers.
According to multiple sources within the presidency quoted by TheCable, the meeting marked a significant breakthrough in Tinubu’s efforts to restore political stability in Rivers State, following a prolonged power struggle between Fubara and his political godfather, Wike.
However, the deal came with steep conditions that considerably reduce the governor’s political leverage.
“The arrangement is clear: no second term, no local government control, and peace will return,” a source familiar with the negotiations reportedly said.
Another insider added: “The president made it clear that Rivers cannot afford a prolonged crisis. The deal is about restoring calm, but it comes at a steep cost for Fubara.”
One of the central conditions of the agreement is that Fubara will serve out the remainder of his four-year tenure but will not be eligible to contest in the 2027 election.
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In return, all impeachment proceedings against him by the state assembly faction loyal to Wike will be dropped.
As part of the political compromise, Wike will reportedly be allowed to nominate all chairpersons for the 23 local government areas in Rivers State, a major concession that effectively hands grassroots political control back to the former governor.
“Wike is the real winner here. By controlling the local government chairmen, he retains significant influence over the state’s political machinery, which will be crucial for 2027,” a presidency source noted.
Additionally, Fubara is reported to have agreed to pay all outstanding allowances and entitlements owed to the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers who were previously suspended.
The legislators, led by Amaewhule, had defected to the All Progressives Congress amid the political crisis but continued to claim their seats in the assembly, a move that led to ongoing legal disputes.
The political rift between Fubara and Wike has destabilised governance in the oil-rich state since late 2023.
The feud, primarily over control of the state’s political structure, saw both sides engage in intense battles for dominance.
Fubara, seeking to assert his authority as the sitting governor, pushed back against Wike’s attempts to maintain control over the machinery he built during his eight-year tenure as governor.
The crisis led to multiple impeachment threats, the fracturing of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and a general state of political paralysis.
Tinubu’s earlier efforts to mediate peace had failed, prompting a drastic intervention in March 2025.
On March 18, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing the protracted political impasse.
He suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State Assembly for six months.
A sole administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, was appointed to run the state’s affairs.
Fubara’s six-month suspension is expected to end in September, and with this new agreement, his return to office appears to be secured, although with significant compromises.
Sahara Reporters
