President Bola Tinubu is set to reinstate the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and the State House of Assembly before the end of July, following a breakthrough in peace talks between Fubara and his estranged political mentor, Nyesom Wike.
According to multiple Presidential sources who spoke with Punch, the planned reinstatement follows a closed-door reconciliation meeting held on Thursday night at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The suspended Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, and several lawmakers from the embattled state were also present at the meeting.
President Tinubu had declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, suspending Fubara, his deputy, and all 32 members of the State Assembly, citing rising security concerns, including pipeline vandalism and militant activity, which he accused the state government of ignoring.
The crisis stemmed from an escalating power struggle between Fubara and Wike that began in October 2023, when 27 pro-Wike lawmakers initiated impeachment moves against the governor, leading to a breakdown in governance.
Although Fubara’s suspension was originally meant to last until September, Presidency sources say Tinubu is keen to restore calm to the oil-rich state.
The source said, “Fubara is happy with the peace brokered by the President. Given the way things have progressed, Fubara and Wike were recently seen riding together and exchanging pleasantries; the deal for Fubara’s return is sealed.”
The insider confirmed that Tinubu personally informed Fubara during the Thursday night meeting that he should “start preparing to return to office” once the President returns from his diplomatic tour of Saint Lucia and Brazil.
Amid rumours that Fubara’s return may be conditional upon his resignation shortly after, a top Presidency official dismissed the claim.
“That’s not true. No such condition was given. In every conflict resolution, there are terms, but asking Fubara to resign after being reinstated was never one of them,” the source said.
Another source added, “The President made it clear that Rivers cannot afford a prolonged crisis. The deal is about restoring calm, but it comes at a steep cost for Fubara.”
Confirming signs of reconciliation, a former lawmaker and Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Ogbonna Nwuke, disclosed that Fubara has ordered the suspension of all political support groups linked to the crisis.
Nwuke said, “Yes, he (Fubara) gave a directive that all groups be suspended for now. The reason is that we were one family before, and now that peace has returned, there has to be reintegration. That is what it means. We were all part of the New Rivers Vision.”
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