By Deborah Nnamdi
Suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, have taken initial steps toward mending their fractured relationship, following a mediation effort led by former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba and incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Reliable sources confirmed that the two political figures recently met at Wike’s Abuja residence, marking a significant move toward resolving the deep-seated political rift that has gripped Rivers State.
The meeting, which signals the beginning of peace talks, reportedly featured a candid discussion during which Governor Fubara apologized to Wike. A source close to the development revealed that Fubara, accompanied by the Ogun leaders, “prostrated and begged the FCT Minister for forgiveness.”
Fubara and Wike are expected to meet again in the coming days to continue the reconciliation process.
The prolonged crisis, rooted in the deteriorated relationship between the two, has destabilized the political landscape in Rivers State for nearly two years. The tension culminated in a state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu on March 18, with retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas appointed as sole administrator.
The move, ratified by the National Assembly on March 20, faced widespread criticism.
In protest, 11 PDP governors filed a suit at the Supreme Court, challenging the constitutionality of the federal intervention.
