President Tinubu Moves To Lift Rivers Emergency Rule, Reinstate Governor Fubara

President Bola Tinubu is set to end the emergency rule in Rivers State and reinstate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly before the end of July.

This follows a peace deal brokered between Fubara and his estranged political mentor, Nyesom Wike.

Presidency sources confirmed at the weekend that Tinubu reached the decision after a closed-door reconciliation meeting held Thursday night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. In attendance were Governor Fubara, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wike, suspended Speaker Martin Amaewhule, and several lawmakers.

The Rivers political crisis reached a tipping point on March 18, 2025, when Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state. The President suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all 32 members of the State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. The move followed months of escalating tensions between Fubara and Wike.

The crisis, which erupted in October 2023, stemmed from a power struggle over control of the state’s political machinery. The feud saw 27 pro-Wike lawmakers initiate impeachment proceedings against Fubara, accusing him of gross misconduct.

Tinubu first intervened in October 2023, convening a peace meeting at the Villa. However, the agreement reached at the time quickly unravelled, leading to renewed hostilities and eventually, the declaration of emergency rule by the president.

However, the March suspension of the elected state leadership and the appointment of retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator led to widespread national debate, with legal experts questioning the constitutionality of the President’s action.

Although the emergency proclamation was set to expire in September, fresh indications from Presidency sources now suggest that Fubara’s reinstatement will come earlier than expected.

“Fubara is happy with the peace brokered by the President,” one source familiar with the negotiations said. “Given the way things have progressed—Fubara and Wike were recently seen riding together and exchanging pleasantries—the deal for Fubara’s return is sealed.”

Responding to questions on the timeline for the governor’s return, a senior Presidency official stated: “At the latest, Fubara should resume as Rivers State Governor this month. Once the President returns from his visits to Saint Lucia and Brazil, he will make the formal announcement.”

Tinubu left Abuja on Saturday for official engagements in Saint Lucia, followed by attendance at the BRICS Summit scheduled for July 6–7 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Sources also disclosed that during Thursday’s meeting, Tinubu personally assured Fubara that he should “start preparing to return to office” as part of the final peace arrangement with Wike.

Speculation that Fubara’s reinstatement would be tied to his immediate resignation was dismissed by Presidency officials. “That’s not true. No such condition was given. In every conflict resolution, there are terms, but asking Fubara to resign after being reinstated was never one of them,” the source insisted.

However, insiders familiar with the deal confirmed that Fubara’s return to office will come with significant limitations on his powers. The terms reportedly include a ban on any second-term ambition, surrender of control over local government administration, and a general reduction in his political influence.