Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has confirmed that the political dispute between him and incumbent Governor Siminalayi Fubara has officially been resolved, following a peace meeting convened by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking to journalists after the closed-door meeting held Thursday night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Wike said all parties involved in the prolonged rift have agreed to end hostilities and work in unity going forward.
“We have all agreed to work together with the governor, and the governor also agreed to work together with all of us. We are members of the same political family,” Wike said.
He acknowledged the dispute had lingered for months but called the new agreement “final,” describing it as the conclusion of a long journey.
Governor Fubara also confirmed the truce, calling it a divine moment and a major turning point for Rivers State.
“For me, it’s a day we have to thank Almighty God. What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace, and by the special grace of God, this night, peace has returned,” Fubara said.
He pledged to uphold the unity achieved at the meeting: “We’ll do everything within our power to make sure that we sustain it this time around.”
The rift between Wike and Fubara began shortly after the latter assumed office in May 2023, with tensions culminating in October when pro-Wike lawmakers in the Rivers State Assembly moved to impeach the governor. Fubara responded by demolishing the Assembly complex after a suspicious fire and relocating sittings.
Despite a previous peace deal brokered by President Tinubu in December 2023, the truce collapsed, prompting the president to declare a state of emergency in March 2025. The move suspended Fubara’s executive powers and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (retd).
Thursday’s meeting marks the first public reconciliation between the warring factions, raising hopes of restored governance and stability in Rivers State.
