The political thaw between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, gained fresh momentum on Sunday as the two men met in Port Harcourt.
Fubara visited Wike at his residence in the state capital, marking their first known meeting since the governor announced that he would not contest the 2027 governorship election.
The meeting is being viewed as another step towards consolidating the reconciliation between the two former political allies after months of bitter disagreement that plunged Rivers State into a prolonged political crisis.
Wike arrived at the meeting with the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Rivers State, Kingsley Chinda, and the Chairman of the Rainbow Coalition reconciliation committee, Magnus Abe.
Fubara was accompanied by former APC Deputy National Chairman, Sam Jaja.
The encounter follows Wike’s recent declaration that his political dispute with Fubara had ended. The FCT minister had said the governor had agreed to return to the political family that backed his emergence as governor in 2023.
The latest development is particularly significant because Fubara has subsequently aligned himself with the Rainbow Coalition and endorsed Chinda as his preferred successor for the 2027 governorship contest.
The reconciliation marks a dramatic shift from the political confrontation that characterised the relationship between the two men after Fubara assumed office.
Their disagreement escalated into a major power struggle involving the state government, the Rivers State House of Assembly and political loyalists on both sides. At one point, lawmakers aligned with Wike initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara.
The crisis eventually became severe enough for President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, temporarily suspending the governor and other elected officials.
The political landscape subsequently changed as both camps moved towards reconciliation.
Fubara later joined the APC and aligned with the Rainbow Coalition, while Wike announced that the longstanding feud had effectively been brought to an end.
To strengthen the rapprochement, Abe was appointed to lead a reconciliation committee tasked with engaging Fubara and his supporters.
Sunday’s meeting therefore appears to represent more than a private political encounter. It comes as the former rivals seek to establish a common political direction ahead of the 2027 elections.
With Fubara stepping aside from the governorship race and throwing his weight behind Chinda, the emerging alliance could significantly reshape the political contest in Rivers State.
The meeting also places Wike and Fubara on the same political side after a dispute that once threatened to permanently fracture their alliance.
For the moment, their focus appears to have shifted from the battles of the past to maintaining political cohesion and determining the direction of Rivers politics ahead of 2027.
