President Bola Tinubu has intervened again in the protracted political crisis in Rivers State, ordering the immediate suspension of impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and imposing firm political conditions aimed at restoring stability in the oil-rich state.
The latest intervention followed renewed tensions that threatened to plunge the state into legislative paralysis and a possible removal of the governor, despite months of failed reconciliation efforts. Sources familiar with the development said the President issued the directive shortly before departing Nigeria for an official visit to Türkiye on January 26.
According to the sources, Tinubu directed that all impeachment-related actions against Fubara be halted immediately, warning that continued hostilities would undermine governance and threaten peace in a state considered politically strategic ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The President was said to have expressed displeasure that earlier interventions had failed to resolve the crisis, stressing that he would not tolerate actions capable of destabilizing Rivers State. He reportedly delivered a blunt message to Governor Fubara, insisting that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, remains the political leader of the state and must be formally recognized as such.
Tinubu was also said to have instructed Wike to withdraw support for any impeachment plots and allow governance to proceed without obstruction. The feud between Fubara and his predecessor has lingered since shortly after the governor’s inauguration in May 2023, following a breakdown in relations after Fubara began asserting political independence.
With a majority of members of the Rivers State House of Assembly aligned with Wike, repeated impeachment threats have kept the state in a near-constant state of political tension. Several reconciliation attempts collapsed, eventually leading to Tinubu’s declaration of a six-month emergency rule in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, during which the governor was suspended.
While Wike’s camp has accused Fubara of political ingratitude, the governor’s allies have argued that Rivers State cannot be governed remotely by a former governor now serving as a federal minister. Explaining Tinubu’s position, sources said the President drew parallels with Lagos politics to emphasize political hierarchy and respect for seniority.
As part of the proposed peace terms, Fubara is expected to make major concessions, including formally recognizing Wike as the political leader of Rivers State with final authority on party matters. The agreement is also said to cover the forthcoming Rivers State House of Assembly by-elections, with Tinubu directing that candidates loyal to Wike be recognized by the APC for the two vacant seats.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-elections for February 21, 2026, in Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies. The Ahoada East II seat became vacant following the resignation of Edison Ehie, who was appointed Chief of Staff to the governor, while the Khana II seat has remained vacant since the death of its lawmaker, Dinebari Loolo, in September 2023.
Sources disclosed that discussions also touched on Fubara’s second-term ambition but were deliberately shelved, with the President reportedly describing talks about the 2027 governorship election as premature.
Tinubu’s renewed intervention marks his latest effort to contain one of Nigeria’s most volatile political feuds, with the President insisting that peace and stability in Rivers State must override personal and factional interests.
