Suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has initiated a significant step toward reconciliation by meeting with the suspended Speaker of the House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, along with other disaffected lawmakers from the state.
According to multiple reliable sources, the meeting took place in Abuja on Thursday evening and concluded on a cordial note, with Fubara seen holding Amaewhule’s hand as both men shared laughter—an image that symbolized a thaw in previously frosty relations.
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This gathering marked the first formal peace effort between the embattled governor and members of the state assembly since tensions erupted into a full-blown political crisis.
A source familiar with the development, who requested anonymity, disclosed that the discussion was productive. However, the source added that a broader peace summit would be convened soon to work out the full terms of reconciliation.
“The suspended Governor is determined to make peace. He has started the real engagement,” the source said.
Fubara was suspended from office on March 19, following a political impasse in Rivers State that prompted President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency, which was later ratified by the National Assembly. The measure was intended to curb escalating tensions and restore order.
As part of the federal intervention, President Tinubu appointed former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibo Ekwe-Ibas (rtd), as interim administrator for a six-month period to facilitate a peaceful resolution among the feuding political camps.
Although Fubara had previously engaged in talks with President Tinubu and his former political ally, Nyesom Wike, Thursday’s meeting with lawmakers was seen by many as the most promising stride toward lasting peace.
Wike, who has repeatedly insisted on accountability from Fubara, has emphasized that meaningful reconciliation must begin with the governor reaching out to those he has wronged—particularly lawmakers whose salaries and entitlements were reportedly withheld for over two years.
The meeting has drawn praise from a wide range of stakeholders across the state, including members of Fubara’s political base, known as the “Simplified Family,” who hailed the development as a long-overdue and positive step.
