Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State on Monday said political stability has returned to the state following the resolution of the crisis that rocked its leadership.
Fubara stated this while speaking to State House correspondents shortly after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The governor, who was reinstated five days ago after a six-month suspension, disclosed that he now enjoys a good relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
“I don’t know what you mean by if this is a paper peace. As far as I’m concerned, we have made peace. Fubara and his principal are working together,” he said when asked whether the reconciliation was genuine.
Fubara expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his intervention in restoring peace and ensuring development in Rivers State. He described the visit as a father-son discussion aimed at showing appreciation and seeking guidance.
“You’re aware that suspension was lifted at midnight on September 17, and I came in on the 19th. Ideally, it’s proper for me to see Mr. President and to tell him that I’m back, and I’ve also resumed my responsibility as the Governor of the Rivers State,” he said.
This was Fubara’s first official visit to the State House since his reinstatement after the emergency rule in the state.
The Rivers governor fell out with Wike months after assuming office in May 2023, sparking a political battle that divided the state assembly. On March 18, 2025, Fubara, his deputy and lawmakers were suspended by the President as the crisis deepened. Retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas was sworn in as administrator.
In June, Tinubu convened a reconciliation meeting with Fubara, Wike, and members of the assembly, leading to peace efforts. On September 17, the President officially ended the emergency rule in Rivers.
In a statewide broadcast, Fubara had earlier thanked the President for his intervention, pledging to remain “eternally grateful.”