The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Sunday led members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the 23 local government chairmen and other political leaders to a closed-door meeting with Governor Siminalayi Fubara in Port Harcourt, in what appears to be a renewed effort to reconcile the state’s divided political camps ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The meeting, held at the governor’s private residence, brought together prominent political figures from the camps of Wike and Fubara. However, the specific agenda of the discussions was not immediately disclosed.
The visit marked the first time Wike and the lawmakers, led by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule, had visited Fubara at his residence since the protracted political crisis that divided the state’s leadership.
The delegation also included the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Kingsley Chinda, the 23 local government chairmen and other members of the Rainbow Coalition, alongside supporters of the governor.
The Sunday meeting followed an earlier engagement in which Wike led members of the Rainbow Coalition, including Chinda, to meet with Fubara as part of ongoing reconciliation efforts.
Sources familiar with the latest meeting indicated that the discussions were aimed at consolidating efforts to end the political divisions in Rivers State and exploring ways to accommodate Fubara’s loyalists within the emerging political arrangement ahead of the 2027 elections.
Although no official statement was issued on the outcome of the meeting, the atmosphere appeared cordial as the participants emerged from the closed-door engagement.
A video recorded at the entrance of the governor’s residence showed Amaewhule and other lawmakers greeting Fubara, shaking hands with him and addressing him as “Your Excellency”.
The governor responded with smiles before rejoining Wike and other members of the delegation for a group photograph.
The cordial exchanges have fuelled speculation that political leaders from the two camps may be making progress towards resolving their differences, although the extent of any agreement reached remains unclear.
Fubara’s relationship with Wike, his predecessor and political benefactor, deteriorated into a prolonged political crisis that also pitted the governor against the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
The dispute, which lasted for more than two years, triggered repeated confrontations between the governor and lawmakers loyal to Wike. At the height of the crisis, members of the Assembly made two attempts to impeach Fubara.
The situation eventually prompted President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, leading to the suspension of the governor and other elected officials.
Despite subsequent reconciliation efforts, tensions over the state’s political leadership and the distribution of influence ahead of the 2027 elections have persisted.
Wike has also ruled out supporting Fubara for a second term, instead backing Chinda as his preferred candidate for the next governorship election.
However, with the 2027 elections approaching, the FCT minister has reportedly intensified efforts to reunite political leaders associated with his camp and bring the rival groups into a common political arrangement.
Sunday’s meeting is therefore being viewed as another significant step in the continuing negotiations, although it remains to be seen whether the renewed engagement will produce a lasting settlement or resolve the outstanding disagreements over the state’s political future.
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