Wike, Fubara Renew Reconciliation Talks as Rivers 2027 Politics Takes Shape

The political rapprochement between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has received fresh attention following a meeting involving the two men, members of the state House of Assembly and local government chairmen in Port Harcourt.

The meeting, held on Sunday at Fubara’s private residence, brought together key figures from the political camps that were previously divided by the prolonged crisis in Rivers State. The delegation was led by Wike and included the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, chairmen of the state’s 23 local government areas and Kingsley Chinda, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

The visit came about two weeks after Wike led members of the Rainbow Coalition, including Chinda, to meet the governor. Sunday’s engagement was also the first time the FCT minister had visited Fubara at his private residence in Port Harcourt.

Although details of the latest discussions were not made public, the meeting was reported to have focused on sustaining reconciliation, strengthening political cooperation and considering how Fubara’s loyalists could fit into the state’s emerging political arrangement.

The gathering is significant because it brought together the governor, legislative leaders and local government chairmen whose political alignments have played a major role in Rivers State’s recent power struggle. Their continued engagement could influence how the coalition organises itself ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Fubara and Wike had been embroiled in a bitter disagreement for more than two years after their relationship deteriorated following the governor’s emergence in 2023. The dispute spread to the state legislature, where lawmakers made two attempts to impeach Fubara, deepening divisions within the state’s political structure.

The crisis also attracted national attention after a section of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex along Moscow Road was bombed in October 2023. Tensions later raised concerns about threats to oil installations and the wider security situation in the state.

In March 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, leading to the suspension of the governor, his deputy and members of the state House of Assembly for an initial six-month period. Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed administrator during the period before the elected officials returned to office.

The latest meeting signals continued contact between political actors who were at the centre of the crisis. However, the extent to which the discussions will produce a lasting settlement, particularly on the accommodation of Fubara’s supporters and the distribution of political influence ahead of the next election, remains uncertain.

With the 2027 contest approaching, the durability of the reconciliation and the ability of the different camps to maintain a common political arrangement will be important factors in Rivers State’s evolving political landscape.

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