President Bola Tinubu has brokered a political truce in the lingering crisis in Rivers State, securing a deal that allows Governor Siminalayi Fubara to remain in office, on the condition that he will not contest for a second term in 2027. The agreement, which was struck during a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa on Thursday night, also involves key political stakeholders, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; the embattled governor; suspended Speaker Martin Amaewhule; and a group of lawmakers aligned with Wike.
According to presidency sources, the peace pact is part of a broader strategy to restore order in the state, but comes with major political concessions from Governor Fubara. Under the terms of the agreement, Fubara is expected to complete his current four-year term but has agreed to withdraw any ambition to seek re-election. This condition, insiders say, significantly limits his political leverage but ensures temporary stability.
Another crucial element of the deal allows Wike to nominate all chairpersons for the 23 local government areas in the state, giving him sweeping grassroots control ahead of the 2027 elections. The arrangement reportedly restores Wike’s influence across the state’s political structure and further strengthens his position within the national power map.
Fubara has also committed to paying all outstanding entitlements owed to the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike, who were earlier suspended by the Rivers State House of Assembly. In return, the lawmakers, many of whom defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), will refrain from initiating any impeachment proceedings against the governor. Their defection and continued claim to legislative power have been at the center of legal and political contention in recent months.
A presidency insider described the Thursday meeting as a breakthrough in President Tinubu’s efforts to calm tensions in Rivers State, but noted that the truce came at a “steep cost” to Governor Fubara’s autonomy. “The deal is clear: no second term, no local government control, and in return, peace,” the source said. “Wike emerges as the true winner here, maintaining his grip on the state’s political structure through control of local government appointments, which will be key in the run-up to 2027.”
