Suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara may be ready to soften his stance in order to end the seven‑month power struggle that has crippled the oil‑rich state.
Key points
- Private London talks. Fubara requested—and got—a one‑on‑one with President Bola Tinubu in London during the president’s recent 18‑day European retreat, presidential aides confirmed to The Africa Report.
- Pledging concessions. A senior presidential adviser told the magazine that Fubara “promised to make compromises” so that normal governance can resume. Negotiations are under way to lift his six‑month suspension before it lapses in September.
- Possible party switch. Another aide said Fubara is considering dumping the opposition PDP for Tinubu’s ruling APC—an outcome the presidency believes would strengthen its 2027 re‑election map in Rivers.
- Wike left out. Federal Capital Territory minister (and Fubara’s estranged patron) Nyesom Wike was not at the London meeting and is said to be “uneasy” about any deal struck without him.
- Next step: three‑way talks. The presidency hopes to bring Tinubu, Fubara, Wike and Rivers lawmakers together soon to craft a durable settlement.
Background
- State of emergency. On 18 March 2025, Tinubu invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, dissolved the Fubara‑Odu administration and installed former Navy chief Vice‑Adm. Ibok‑Ete Ekwe Ibas as sole administrator, citing “months of intense political instability.”
- Legal pushback. Seven PDP‑led states immediately sued at the Supreme Court, calling the decree unconstitutional.
- Root of the feud. The crisis began in late 2023 after Fubara ordered the demolition of the state House of Assembly complex, triggering walk‑outs, lawsuits and the defection of 27 Wike‑aligned lawmakers to the APC.
- Court ruling. On 28 Feb 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the lawmakers’ seats and labelled the governor’s demolition “despotic,” noting that Rivers had collapsed into “one‑man rule.”
- Governance vacuum. By March the Assembly still had not passed the 2025 budget. A 10 April pipeline blast in Bodo heightened security fears, helping to justify Tinubu’s emergency proclamation.
What happens next?
If Fubara formalises concessions—possibly including a party switch and recognition of the Assembly—Tinubu is expected to recommend lifting federal rule and reinstating the governor before September. Whether Wike accepts such a deal, and whether the Supreme Court allows the emergency decree to stand that long, remain open questions.
For now, Rivers politics is on pause—awaiting the outcome of a quiet London handshake.
