2027: Wike, lawmakers meet Fubara in Rivers

File: Siminalayi Fubara and Nyesom Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and local government chairmen in the state on Sunday met with Governor Siminalayi Fubara at his private residence in Port Harcourt.

The meeting comes about a fortnight after Wike led members of the Rainbow Coalition in the state, including the All Progressives Congress candidate for the 2027 general elections, Kingsley Chinda, to meet with the governor.

Sunday’s visit marked the first time the FCT minister had visited Fubara at his residence in Port Harcourt.

The meeting is seen as a continuation of talks between the two camps aimed at consolidating reconciliation efforts following the return of relative peace to the state.

Wike led a delegation comprising mainly members of the state legislature, including the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, and the chairmen of the state’s 23 local government areas, to meet Fubara and his supporters.

The APC standard-bearer for the 2027 election in the state, Kingsley Chinda, was also part of the delegation.

Although details of the private meeting were not immediately available, sources said the engagement was aimed at building on previous discussions, strengthening reconciliation efforts and exploring ways to accommodate Fubara’s loyalists in the state’s evolving political arrangement.

Fubara and the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly had been at loggerheads for more than two years following a protracted disagreement between the governor and his predecessor, Wike.

At the height of the crisis, lawmakers made two attempts to impeach the governor before President Bola Tinubu intervened.

In October 2023, amid rising tensions between the two political camps, a section of the state House of Assembly complex along Moscow Road was bombed.

• 2027: Yari seeks royal blessings, predicts APC victory
• N250bn NLNG row: Presidency faults Makinde, gov demands answers
• The art of raising leaders

The disagreement further polarised the state, with suspected militant groups threatening to attack oil installations.

The crisis drew renewed attention from Tinubu, who declared a state of emergency in Rivers State in March 2025 for an initial period of six months.

The move led to the suspension of the governor, his deputy and members of the state House of Assembly.

Tinubu appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas as administrator of the state during the period. The elected officials later returned to office.

Sunday’s meeting is significant as it brings together key political figures involved in the crisis, including the governor, the state’s legislative leadership and local government chairmen aligned with Wike.

The participation of the Speaker, lawmakers and the 23 council chairmen also broadens the representation of political structures associated with the FCT minister in the reconciliation process.

The renewed engagement between the executive and legislative camps could help stabilise the state’s political environment ahead of the 2027 general elections.

However, whether the talks will produce a lasting resolution remains uncertain, particularly amid concerns about the influence of Wike’s camp over local government leadership and the selection of candidates for the forthcoming elections.

The extent to which Fubara’s loyalists will be accommodated in the emerging political arrangement also remains unclear.