Precious Nwonu, Enugu

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Sunday led members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the 23 local government chairmen to a meeting with Governor Siminalayi Fubara at his private residence in Port Harcourt.

The visit comes about two weeks after Wike led members of the Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State, including the All Progressives Congress candidate for the 2027 elections, Kingsley Chinda, to meet with the governor.

Sunday’s meeting marked the first time the FCT minister had visited Fubara at his residence in Port Harcourt, amid ongoing efforts to ease tensions between the two political camps.

The delegation included the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, other lawmakers and the chairmen of the state’s 23 local government areas. Chinda was also present.

Although details of the closed-door meeting were not immediately disclosed, sources said the discussions focused on sustaining reconciliation, building on previous engagements and considering ways to accommodate Fubara’s supporters in the state’s political arrangement.

The meeting brings together key figures in the prolonged political dispute that has divided Rivers State for more than two years.

The crisis began with a disagreement between Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, and later escalated into a confrontation between the governor and the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.

At the height of the dispute, lawmakers made two attempts to impeach Fubara. Tensions also rose in October 2023 when part of the state House of Assembly complex along Moscow Road was bombed.

The crisis further polarised the state, with suspected militant groups threatening attacks on oil installations.

President Bola Tinubu intervened in March 2025 by declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State for an initial six-month period. The action resulted in the suspension of Fubara, his deputy and members of the state House of Assembly.

Tinubu subsequently appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas as administrator of the state during the emergency period, before the elected officials later returned to office.

Sunday’s engagement is significant because it brings Fubara together with the legislative leadership and local government chairmen aligned with Wike, against the backdrop of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The renewed talks could influence political alignments in the state as parties and their leaders prepare for the forthcoming polls.

However, it remains unclear whether the engagement will lead to a lasting settlement of the dispute or how much room the emerging political arrangement will provide for Fubara’s loyalists.

Questions also remain over the influence of Wike’s camp on local government leadership and candidate selection ahead of the elections.