President Bola Tinubu has once again intervened in the prolonged political crisis rocking Rivers State, ordering the immediate suspension of all impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, while directing the governor to formally recognise Nyesom Wike as the undisputed political leader of the state.
The fresh intervention follows months of failed peace efforts that plunged the oil-rich state into legislative paralysis, political instability, and nearly resulted in the removal of the governor.
Multiple high-level sources familiar with the development told THISDAY that Tinubu issued the directive shortly before departing for an official visit to TĂĽrkiye on January 26. The president reportedly imposed strict political conditions aimed at restoring stability in Rivers State, which is considered strategic to his 2027 re-election prospects.
According to the sources, Tinubu made it clear to Governor Fubara that Wike remains the dominant political force in Rivers State regardless of party affiliation and must be accorded due respect. The president was said to be visibly displeased that the rift had persisted despite his earlier intervention in December 2023, which produced a fragile truce that later collapsed.
The breakdown of that agreement eventually culminated in the declaration of a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, during which Fubara was suspended.
In the latest peace move, Tinubu reportedly warned that continued hostilities between both camps would further undermine governance and destabilise the state, a situation he said he would no longer tolerate.
As part of the agreement, Tinubu directed Wike and his loyalists to immediately halt all impeachment-related actions against the governor. In return, Fubara was instructed to make significant concessions, including formally recognising Wike as the political leader of Rivers State with final authority over party affairs.
Sources said the president stressed that all internal party disputes in the state whether within the APC or PDP must ultimately defer to Wike’s leadership.
Despite Wike’s position as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under the APC government, he remains officially a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, a situation that has further complicated the political dynamics in the state.
Tinubu was also said to have drawn parallels with Lagos State politics, reportedly asking, “Is Babajide Sanwo-Olu my leader in Lagos, or was Babatunde Fashola my leader when he was governor?” to emphasise the concept of political seniority and hierarchy.
The president further urged Fubara to respect political elders, describing Wike as an elder statesman in Rivers politics whose influence could not be wished away due to personal disagreements.
The agreement also covered the forthcoming Rivers State House of Assembly by-elections. Tinubu reportedly instructed the APC leadership to recognise candidates loyal to Wike for the two vacant seats Ahoada East II and Khana II.
INEC has fixed February 21, 2026, for the by-elections. The Ahoada East II seat became vacant following the resignation of Edison Ehie, who was appointed Chief of Staff to Governor Fubara, while the Khana II seat has remained vacant since the death of its lawmaker, Dinebari Loolo, in September 2023.
Sources disclosed that discussions around Governor Fubara’s second-term ambition briefly surfaced during the talks but were deliberately shelved. Tinubu was said to have described any conversation about the 2027 governorship race in Rivers State as premature.