About two years of political turmoil in Rivers State has finally come to an end following a high-level peace meeting convened by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Thursday night.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, emerged from the meeting with renewed commitments to work together, signalling a major turning point in the political crisis that has rocked the oil-rich state since late 2023.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Wike, who now serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, expressed gratitude for the breakthrough and hailed the development as a new beginning for Rivers.
“I want to give God the glory that today is the 26th of June 2025, that peace has finally returned to the state,” Wike said. “We all agreed to work together with the governor, and the governor also agreed to work together with all of us. We are members of the same political family.”
Wike admitted that political disagreements are inevitable but emphasised that the reconciliation process had been concluded.
“Just like humans, you have disagreements, and then you also have a time to settle your disagreements—and that has been finally concluded today. We have come to report to Mr. President that this is what we have agreed. So for me, everything is over, and I enjoin everybody to work together. There is no more acrimony.”
For his part, Governor Fubara echoed the sentiment, describing the return of peace as vital to the progress and stability of Rivers State.
“For me, it’s very important that this day has come to be. What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace, and by the special grace of God this night, with the help of Mr. President and the agreement of the leaders of the state, peace has returned,” Fubara said.
He further pledged his commitment to sustaining the peace, stressing that governance and development can only thrive in an atmosphere of unity.
The reconciliation came after prolonged tensions between the two political heavyweights, which had threatened to destabilise the state’s administration and stall key projects. Their joint appearance and public commitment to peace are expected to calm political factions and restore confidence in the state’s leadership.
