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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has led members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the 23 local government chairmen and other political stakeholders to a closed-door meeting with Governor Siminalayi Fubara in Port Harcourt, as efforts to reconcile the state’s divided political camps continue.
The meeting, which took place at Fubara’s private residence on Sunday evening, October 18, 2026, brought together prominent political figures, including the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the state, Kingsley Chinda. Other members of the Rainbow Coalition and political supporters of the two camps were also present.
Although the specific agenda of the meeting was not officially disclosed, the engagement is understood to be part of ongoing efforts to consolidate reconciliation between Wike and Fubara and their respective supporters. The latest meeting also marks a significant development, as it was the first time Wike and the lawmakers had visited the governor at his residence.
The gathering followed an earlier meeting in October, when Wike led members of the Rainbow Coalition, including Chinda and other political leaders, to meet with Fubara and his supporters. The successive engagements suggest a renewed push to rebuild political ties and establish a common front ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reports indicate that the discussions are aimed at resolving lingering disagreements within the state’s political structure and exploring ways to accommodate Fubara’s loyalists in the emerging political arrangement. However, the extent to which the discussions will translate into a comprehensive settlement remains unclear.
Signs of cordiality were evident at the end of Sunday’s meeting, as Wike, Fubara, the lawmakers and other attendees were seen exchanging pleasantries and posing for group photographs. A video from the gathering also showed Amaewhule and other lawmakers greeting the governor respectfully, addressing him as “Your Excellency” and shaking his hand.
The latest engagement comes against the backdrop of a prolonged political crisis between Fubara and Wike, his predecessor and former political ally. Their disagreement triggered a major division within the Rivers State House of Assembly, with lawmakers aligned with Wike making two attempts to impeach the governor during the height of the dispute.
The crisis escalated in March 2025, when President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, resulting in the suspension of the governor, his deputy and members of the State House of Assembly. The emergency rule was subsequently lifted in September 2025, allowing the affected officials to return to their positions.
Despite previous reconciliation efforts, political tensions have continued to shape relationships within the state, particularly over control of party structures, political appointments and preparations for the 2027 elections.
Wike has maintained that Fubara’s second-term ambition is not part of the political arrangement he is pursuing, while backing Chinda as the APC’s governorship candidate. Nevertheless, the minister has recently intensified efforts to bring political leaders and supporters from both camps together, with the broader objective of strengthening the party’s electoral prospects.
Whether the latest meeting will produce a lasting resolution, restore confidence among the rival factions and guarantee meaningful inclusion for Fubara’s supporters remains to be seen.
