President Bola Tinubu recently held a meeting in London with the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.
The Africa Report confirmed that the meeting was initiated at Fubara’s request. Fubara has been in office since May 2023.
At the time of this report, details of their discussion remained unclear, as presidential aides reached by The PUNCH stated they were not part of Tinubu’s latest trip.
However, government sources verified that this was the first direct meeting between the two since March 18, when Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, effectively removing Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, from their positions.
In a national address on March 18, the President cited prolonged political instability in the state, which he said had hindered governance and threatened national peace.
Following the declaration, Navy Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas was appointed as the state’s sole administrator.
Opposition governors from seven PDP-led states challenged the constitutionality of Tinubu’s action at the Supreme Court, demanding a return to democratic rule in the state.
Tinubu, who traveled to Paris and London on April 2, agreed to meet with Fubara to help ease the tensions surrounding the Rivers State crisis.
According to sources, the discussion centered on restoring effective governance in the oil-producing state.
Although the specific content of the talks remains undisclosed, some presidential aides, who spoke anonymously, revealed that the possibility of Fubara’s reinstatement before the end of his six-month suspension was among the key points discussed.
Tinubu returned to Abuja Monday night after spending 18 days abroad.
Notably absent from the meeting was Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Fubara’s former political mentor. Reports indicate he is uneasy about the discussions occurring without his involvement.
Tinubu is expected to convene further talks with Fubara, Wike, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to work toward a long-term resolution to the political crisis.