State of Emergency: Tinubu meets with Fubara, Wike in Aso Rock

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday held a decisive meeting at the Presidential Villa with key political figures from Rivers State, marking what appears to be a major turning point in the prolonged political crisis that had gripped the oil-rich state.

In attendance were Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Martins Amaewhule, and other lawmakers. The meeting is believed to have been part of President Tinubu’s ongoing efforts to deescalate tensions and restore political stability in the state.

Sources close to the presidency told Channels Television that the President facilitated a reconciliation between the warring parties. The rift between Governor Fubara and Minister Wike—once political allies—had earlier culminated in a state of emergency being declared in Rivers on March 18.

At the time, Tinubu cited Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to justify his decision, stating: “I can’t continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking any action.”

As part of the emergency measures, President Tinubu suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. He also appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) as the sole administrator of the state.

Thursday’s meeting was the first public appearance by Fubara with the President since that suspension.

Images from the Villa show President Tinubu flanked by Fubara and Wike—all smiles—suggesting a thaw in relations.

Another photograph captured the duo walking side-by-side, followed by Speaker Amaewhule and other state lawmakers.

Although no official statement was issued by the presidency or any of the parties involved, the body language and cordial atmosphere in the images suggest that months of hostility may be giving way to compromise.

In a short video from the meeting, the formerly combative leaders were seen exchanging handshakes and laughter, a striking contrast to the tense accusations and threats that had defined their relationship over the past two years.

The dispute had long centered around control of the political structure in Rivers, with Wike’s loyalists in the Assembly threatening to impeach Governor Fubara over alleged non-compliance with a Supreme Court ruling on political arrangements in the state.

The president’s decision to impose emergency rule had sparked widespread criticism from legal experts, civil society groups, and political figures across the country.

Those who condemned the move include Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Atedo Peterside, Nasir El-Rufai, and Femi Falana. Organizations like the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) also voiced strong opposition.

The last time a Nigerian president declared a state of emergency was in 2013, when then-President Goodluck Jonathan imposed one on Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states due to escalating insurgency.

With this latest meeting, many observers believe that Rivers State may be on the verge of exiting emergency rule and resuming full democratic governance.

Whether this peace will hold remains to be seen, but for now, President Tinubu’s mediation appears to have opened a path toward reconciliation.