Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), led members of the Rivers house of assembly and the 23 local government chairmen in the state to a fresh meeting with Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers governor, as efforts to consolidate reconciliation between both political camps continue.
The meeting, held at Fubara’s private residence in Port Harcourt, comes barely two weeks after political leaders loyal to both men met at the same venue.
Martin Amaewhule, speaker of the Rivers assembly, and Kingsley Chinda, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the state, were among those who accompanied Wike to the meeting.
The latest engagement is part of efforts to sustain the reconciliation process following the prolonged political feud between Wike and Fubara, which divided the state’s political leadership and strained relations between the governor and lawmakers.
Wike had recently announced an end to the feud, saying Fubara had agreed to return to the political family that supported his emergence as governor.
A reconciliation committee led by Magnus Abe, chairman of the Rainbow Coalition reconciliation committee, was subsequently constituted to engage Fubara and his supporters.
Fubara has since declared his support for the Rainbow Coalition and endorsed Chinda as his preferred successor in the 2027 governorship election.
The governor had initially been screened alongside Chinda for the APC governorship primary but later withdrew from the race, saying his decision was in the interest of peace and unity in Rivers.
Chinda subsequently emerged as the APC’s sole candidate for the governorship election.
The disagreement between Wike and Fubara began shortly after the governor assumed office in 2023, triggering a protracted political crisis that divided the Rivers state house of assembly.
Tensions escalated in October 2023, when a fire damaged part of the assembly complex amid the dispute between both camps.
Lawmakers loyal to Wike subsequently initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara, deepening the confrontation between the executive and legislative arms of government.
The crisis eventually led President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month emergency in Rivers in March 2025, resulting in the suspension of the governor, his deputy and members of the state assembly.
The elected officials subsequently returned to office following the emergency rule
