President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday evening stepped in to resolve the protracted political standoff in Rivers State by reconciling key stakeholders, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and other lawmakers.
According to Channels Television, the peace meeting was held behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. President Tinubu reportedly convened the session with the aim of calming tensions that have simmered for months in the oil-rich South-South state, threatening governance and stability.
This meeting also marked the first occasion on which Governor Fubara was seen engaging with President Tinubu since the President declared an emergency rule in the state. That move suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly, effectively sidelining the elected leadership amid deepening political conflict.
President Tinubu justified the drastic measure by citing the escalating security concerns in the state and the inability of the governor and the Assembly to reach common ground to govern effectively.
The crisis in Rivers State was fueled by an acrimonious falling-out between Governor Fubara and his predecessor and political mentor, Nyesom Wike. Once allies, their relationship deteriorated into a fierce rivalry that split the state’s political landscape. The dispute reached a boiling point when lawmakers loyal to Wike initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara.
In response to the impeachment attempt, the Rivers State House of Assembly complex was demolished, triggering a parallel legislative leadership and further deepening the political divide.
The standoff sparked serious concerns about the potential collapse of law and order. By March this year, calls for a formal state of emergency grew louder amid fears of escalating violence and instability.
Eventually, the National Assembly endorsed President Tinubu’s proposal for emergency rule, appointing retired Vice-Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, the former Chief of Naval Staff, to oversee the administration of the state for an initial period of six months.
Thursday night’s reconciliation effort by President Tinubu represents a critical attempt to restore normalcy, rebuild trust among the warring factions, and stabilize one of Nigeria’s most economically important states. It remains to be seen whether the truce will hold in the long term, but the President’s intervention is being viewed as a decisive step toward resolving one of the country’s most high-profile political crises in recent years.
Post a Comment