By Charles Maduka
President Bola Tinubu has held a crucial meeting with key political stakeholders from Rivers State in a bid to resolve the lingering crisis that has engulfed the state’s political leadership.
The meeting, which was held behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, featured the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; and the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, alongside other lawmakers.
This high-level engagement is seen as part of ongoing efforts to broker peace among warring factions in the state, following Tinubu’s earlier declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers on March 18, 2025. At the time, the president suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the entire state legislature, citing breakdowns in governance and worsening insecurity.
Photographs from the meeting showed Tinubu seated with both Fubara and Wike, as well as the suspended lawmakers, in what appeared to be a calm and conciliatory atmosphere. Although no official statement was released after the session, sources close to the presidency disclosed that the talks were focused on de-escalating tensions and restoring functional governance in the state.
Earlier in the day, Fubara was also reported to have held a separate meeting with Speaker Amaewhule and other aggrieved lawmakers. The session reportedly ended on a warm note, with both men seen holding hands and exchanging smiles, signaling what many observers have interpreted as a breakthrough in reconciliation efforts.
The political turmoil in Rivers State has generated national attention, with many Nigerians and observers expressing concern over the impact of the crisis on the state’s development and democratic process.
With Tinubu now personally involved in brokering peace, there are renewed hopes that the factions may finally set aside their differences for the stability and progress of the state.
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