Tinubu Set to Lift Emergency Rule in Rivers State as Wike, Fubara, Lawmakers Reconcile

Tinubu Set to Lift Emergency Rule in Rivers State as Wike, Fubara, Lawmakers Reconcile

 

 

…We have agreed to work together – Wike

…We will sustain this new peace – Fubara

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to lift the State of Emergency imposed on Rivers State following a major breakthrough in the protracted political crisis that has rocked the state.

 

This follows a high-level reconciliation meeting held behind closed doors on Thursday night at the Presidential Villa in Abuja between President Tinubu, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, and lawmakers from the state.

 

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According to sources close to the presidency, the late-night meeting, which extended into the early hours of Friday, was the latest in a series of peace efforts led by President Tinubu aimed at restoring political stability in the oil-rich state.

 

The meeting reportedly centered on the lingering feud between Governor Fubara and his estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike, as well as the group of lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

 

“The President received detailed reports of the peace efforts and was pleased with the resolutions reached,” a source at the Villa told News Week Nigeria. “They have resolved their differences and have agreed to work together. They left the Villa united and in high spirits, which is what Nigerians have been hoping for.”

 

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Wike confirmed the reconciliation, noting that all parties had agreed to set aside their differences in the interest of the state.

 

“We have all agreed to work with the governor, and the governor also agreed to work together with all of us,” Wike said. “Yes, just like humans, you have a disagreement, and then you have a time to settle your disagreement. That has been finally concluded today. We have come to report to Mr. President that peace has returned.”

 

On his part, Governor Fubara also confirmed the resolution, expressing gratitude to President Tinubu for his intervention.

 

“For me, it’s a day we have to thank Almighty God. What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace, and by the special grace of God, peace has returned,” he said. “We’ll do everything within our power to make sure we sustain it this time around.”

 

Recall that President Tinubu had declared a State of Emergency in Rivers State on March 18 following intense political turmoil, which saw a breakdown in relations between the executive arm and a faction of the state legislature.

 

With tensions now eased and leaders pledging to collaborate for the good of the state, the President is expected to formally lift the emergency rule in the coming days, signaling a new chapter for governance in Rivers State.