President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has moved to personally manage the escalating political standoff in Rivers State, following weeks of tension between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The intervention signals growing concern at the highest level of government over the direction of the crisis, particularly as fresh impeachment threats emerge within the state legislature.
According to senior political sources, the President has requested a private meeting with Wike to address the deepening rift and prevent further destabilisation in the oil-producing state.
It was learned that the engagement is expected to take place outside Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Governor Fubara is also reported to have travelled abroad as part of efforts to secure direct presidential engagement over the political impasse.
Sources familiar with the situation said the governor departed Nigeria quietly earlier in the week.
The renewed tension follows moves by lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly, widely seen as loyal to Wike, to reopen impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
The development has raised fears of another prolonged political crisis in the state.
A source close to the Presidency described the unfolding situation as troubling, warning that unchecked political rivalry could have wider national implications.
“This is no longer just about party control or personal influence. The President understands the risks and wants this matter resolved without pushing Rivers into instability,” the source said.
The source added that Tinubu was particularly uneasy about the broader security and economic consequences of a forced removal of the governor.
“Rivers is strategic. Any miscalculation there affects oil production, national revenue, and social stability. That reality is not lost on the President,” the official noted.
Some concerns heightened political pressure on Fubara, who is of Ijaw extraction, could inflame ethnic grievances in the Niger Delta.
Analysts say such a scenario could reopen old fault lines in a region critical to Nigeria’s economy.
Another government insider warned that aggressive political tactics could provoke unrest among youths in the riverine communities.
“History has shown us what happens when people feel excluded or targeted. No responsible leader wants a return to that phase,” the source said.
While details of the proposed meeting remain closely guarded, indications suggest the President intends to set clear boundaries.
“This is about restoring order and respect for constitutional authority. No individual is bigger than the system,” a Presidency source stated.
However, not all officials are confirming knowledge of the planned talks.
A senior aide to the President said he was unaware of any formal meeting with Wike, though he confirmed that Tinubu was currently in France and scheduled to proceed to the United Arab Emirates afterwards.
The aide added that any foreign engagement involving senior officials would ordinarily be linked to the President’s itinerary.
“Ministers do not randomly travel to such destinations unless there is an official reason,” he said, declining further comment.
Beyond the immediate crisis, the situation has reopened debates about party supremacy and governance.
Insiders recalled that when Fubara explored alignment with the ruling party, he reportedly sought and obtained presidential approval, reinforcing his standing as the party’s leader in the state.
Political observers believe Tinubu’s involvement could mark a turning point.
“Presidential mediation is often the final buffer in elite political disputes.
“Once the President steps in, all sides are expected to recalibrate,” said a Lagos-based political analyst.
For now, Rivers State remains on edge as stakeholders await clarity on the outcome of the President’s intervention.
What emerges from the expected high-level engagement may determine whether the state moves toward reconciliation or slides deeper into political confrontation.