After Tinubu’s Intervention, Wike and Fubara Declare Peace in Rivers State
Abuja, Nigeria After months of bruising political conflict that plunged Rivers State into uncertainty, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, have publicly declared an end to their protracted rift. The peace deal was brokered Thursday night by President Bola Tinubu during a high-level meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The reconciliation marks a dramatic turn in the political crisis that had threatened to destabilize Rivers, Nigeria’s economic heartbeat and a key oil-producing state. Tensions between Governor Fubara and Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, had paralyzed governance, deepened factional divisions in the state assembly, and fueled fears of violence.
Addressing journalists after the closed-door meeting, Wike expressed relief at the breakthrough, attributing it to divine intervention and President Tinubu’s decisive mediation.
“I give God the glory that peace has finally returned to Rivers State. We have agreed to work together as one political family,” Wike said. “Disagreements are normal in politics, but today marks the end of ours.”
Governor Fubara echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the critical need for unity to foster development.
“What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace. With the help of Mr President and the agreement of our leaders, peace has returned,” Fubara declared.
While both leaders projected optimism, political observers warn that sustaining the truce will require more than public statements. Deep-seated distrust, competing ambitions, and unresolved power-sharing arrangements could quickly reignite tensions if not carefully managed.
The truce follows weeks of backchannel negotiations involving key stakeholders alarmed by the risk of escalating violence in the oil-rich state, which plays an outsized role in Nigeria’s revenue and political balance.
Critics argue that the conflict exposed the fragile nature of internal party dynamics in Nigeria’s political system, where personal rivalries often overshadow governance. Some worry the peace pact may simply paper over cracks without addressing underlying issues such as control of state resources and influence over local political structures.
Nevertheless, Thursday’s agreement provides a window of hope for Rivers residents, who have borne the brunt of stalled projects and governance paralysis during the feud.
Governor Fubara pledged to do everything within his power to consolidate the peace, describing it as a crucial step toward stability in one of Nigeria’s most strategic states.
As Rivers State begins this new chapter, analysts say the real test will be whether both camps can translate Thursday night’s handshake into a durable partnership or whether the state’s peace will prove as fragile as the politics that nearly tore it apart.
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After Tinubu’s Intervention, Wike and Fubara Declare Peace in Rivers State