By John Umeh
President Bola Tinubu has once more stepped into the deepening political crisis in Rivers State, directing an immediate halt to efforts aimed at impeaching Governor Siminalayi Fubara, while simultaneously urging the governor to acknowledge and respect the political authority of his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
The renewed intervention follows weeks of heightened tension in the state after lawmakers aligned with Wike initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara, accusing him of various acts of misconduct, including alleged unauthorized expenditure of public funds.
The rivalry between the two leaders, once political allies, has repeatedly disrupted governance in Rivers State. Tinubu had earlier attempted to mend the fractured relationship in December 2023, an effort that resulted in a temporary truce. That agreement later collapsed, eventually prompting the president to declare a six-month emergency rule in the state on March 18, 2025, which included the suspension of the governor.
In the latest attempt to stabilize the situation, the president is said to have ordered that all impeachment plans be shelved with immediate effect—but not without firm conditions attached.
According to multiple political sources, Tinubu issued the directive shortly before departing Nigeria for an official visit to Türkiye on January 26. The move was part of a broader strategy to restore calm in Rivers State, a key political battleground viewed as crucial to the president’s 2027 re-election prospects.
Sources say the president delivered a clear message to Governor Fubara: Wike remains the dominant political force in Rivers State across party lines, whether within the All Progressives Congress (APC) or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and that reality must be acknowledged.
Tinubu was reportedly displeased by the intensity of the conflict, especially after his earlier efforts failed to produce lasting peace. He is said to have warned that continued confrontation would weaken governance and fuel instability—outcomes he made clear would not be tolerated.
At the same time, the president is believed to have instructed Wike to abandon any further moves to remove Fubara from office and allow the state government to function without political sabotage.
The latest directive underscores Tinubu’s determination to prevent Rivers State from sliding further into crisis, even as tensions between its two most powerful political figures remain unresolved.
