The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Sunday October 18, 2026 led members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the 23 local government council chairmen and other political associates to another meeting with Governor Siminalayi Fubara in a renewed bid to consolidate reconciliation efforts in the state.
The meeting, held at the governor’s private residence in Port Harcourt, came barely two weeks after an earlier engagement between leaders loyal to the minister and the governor’s camp.
Among those in the Wike-led delegation were the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, other lawmakers and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Kingsley Chinda.
The latest talks form part of ongoing moves by political stakeholders to resolve the protracted crisis that has polarised Rivers State and strained relations between the governor and members of the state legislature.
The disagreement, which began as a political rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, later led to sharp divisions in the Assembly and repeated attempts by lawmakers under Amaewhule’s leadership to impeach the governor.
Tensions peaked in October 2023 when the crisis triggered a split in the House and the partial destruction of the Assembly complex by fire.
The matter subsequently drew national attention, culminating in President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State in March 2025.
Under the emergency rule, the governor, his deputy and members of the House of Assembly were suspended. The elected officials later returned to office after the emergency period ended.
Against this background, the latest meeting brought together key actors whose differences have kept the state in political turmoil for years.
