Suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, paid a surprise visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos on Tuesday, in what many see as a significant development in the ongoing political crisis rocking the state.
The visit was confirmed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Information Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who shared the information via his verified Facebook page. “Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers, now on suspension from office, visited President Bola Tinubu in Lagos on Tuesday,” Onanuga wrote.
This visit comes months after President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, following a prolonged political standoff between Fubara and his predecessor, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
In the national broadcast announcing the emergency rule, President Tinubu cited the breakdown of law and order in the state and suspended Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.
To stabilise governance in the oil-rich state, Tinubu appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as administrator to oversee the affairs of the state during the emergency period.
The rift between Fubara and Wike has plunged Rivers State into political chaos, with both men commanding separate factions and accusing each other of interference and betrayal. The disagreement has also led to disruptions in state functions and frequent street protests in Port Harcourt and other towns.
While details of Fubara’s meeting with Tinubu have not been made public, political observers believe it may signal an attempt at reconciliation or negotiation amid growing calls for a political solution to the crisis.
The visit also raises questions about Fubara’s political future, the possible lifting of his suspension, and the timeline for restoring democratic governance in Rivers State.
For now, the people of Rivers wait anxiously as the state remains under federal control, with the Tinubu-led government holding the key to resolving one of the country’s most sensitive political standoffs in recent years.
