President Bola Tinubu has again moved to arrest the deepening political crisis in Rivers State, directing the immediate suspension of impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara while laying down tough political conditions aimed at restoring stability in the oil-rich state.
The latest intervention, coming after months of failed reconciliation efforts, followed renewed tensions that once again pushed Rivers State to the brink of legislative paralysis and a possible removal of the governor.
Highly placed sources familiar with the development told THISDAY that Tinubu issued the directive shortly before departing Nigeria for an official visit to Türkiye on January 26, stressing that he would not tolerate further instability in a state considered critical to his 2027 re-election calculations.
According to the sources, the President ordered all impeachment-related actions against Fubara to be halted immediately, while warning both camps that continued hostilities would undermine governance and threaten peace in Rivers State.
“Mr President was visibly displeased that despite earlier interventions, the crisis had continued to fester,” one source disclosed. “He made it clear that he was not prepared to condone actions that would plunge Rivers State into chaos.”
Tinubu was said to have delivered a blunt message to Governor Fubara, insisting that Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), remains the undisputed political leader in Rivers State and must be formally recognised as such.
“Wike remains the political leader, whether APC or PDP, in Rivers State,” a source quoted the President as saying, adding that internal party disputes in the state must ultimately defer to the former governor.
The President also reportedly instructed Wike to back off all impeachment plots and allow governance to continue unhindered in the state.
The feud between Fubara and his predecessor has simmered since shortly after the governor’s inauguration in May 2023. Although Wike played a decisive role in Fubara’s emergence, relations quickly deteriorated as the governor sought to assert his independence, while Wike allegedly attempted to retain control of the state’s political structure from Abuja.
With most members of the Rivers State House of Assembly aligning with Wike, impeachment threats against Fubara repeatedly surfaced, keeping the state in a near-constant state of political tension.
Several reconciliation efforts failed, culminating in Tinubu’s declaration of a six-month emergency rule in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, during which the governor was suspended.
While Wike’s camp has accused Fubara of betrayal and political ingratitude, the governor’s allies have maintained that Rivers State cannot be governed from outside by a former governor now serving as a federal minister.
Explaining the President’s position, a source said Tinubu drew parallels with Lagos politics to underscore the principle of political seniority.
“Is Babajide Sanwo-Olu my leader in Lagos, or was Babatunde Fashola my leader when he was governor?” Tinubu was quoted as saying.
The President was also said to have reminded Fubara of the need to respect elders, describing Wike as an elder statesman whose political standing could not be wished away because of personal disagreements.
As part of the peace terms, Fubara is expected to make significant concessions, including formally recognising Wike as the political leader of Rivers State with final authority on party matters.
Sources further disclosed that the agreement extends to the forthcoming Rivers State House of Assembly by-elections, with Tinubu directing that candidates loyal to Wike be recognised by the APC for the two vacant seats.
“It was explicitly stated that Wike has two candidates for the by-elections and that those candidates are to be recognised by the APC party structure,” one source said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 21, 2026, for the by-elections into Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies. 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 also revealed that the sensitive issue of Fubara’s second-term ambition was raised during discussions but deliberately shelved.
“The President made it clear that any talk about the 2027 governorship election in Rivers State is premature,” a source said, quoting Tinubu as describing such conversations as “too early.”
The renewed intervention marks Tinubu’s latest effort to douse one of Nigeria’s most combustible political feuds, with the President insisting that peace and stability in Rivers State must take precedence over personal and factional interests.
