Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, have declared that the rift between them had been resolved following a fresh truce brokered by President Bola Tinubu.
The president, on Thursday night, held another reconciliation meeting between Messrs Wike and Fubara in the State House Abuja.
The Speaker of the suspended Rivers House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and other assembly members attended the closed-door meeting to end the protracted political crisis in the oil-rich state.
No more acrimony’
Messrs Wike and Fubara separately addressed reporters after emerging from the closed-door meeting with the president.
The FCT minister and the suspended governor were flanked by Mr Amaewhule and other assembly members.
Mr Wike said both camps had agreed to end the rift and work in unity.
“We have all agreed to work together with the governor, and the governor also agreed to work together with all of us. We are members of the same political family,” he began.
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Wike stressed that although the crisis had lingered for some months, it has now been settled.
“Yes, just like humans, you have a disagreement, and then you also have a time to settle your disagreement.
“And that has been finally concluded today, and we have come to report to Mr. President, that is what we have agreed. So for me, everything is over,” he said.
“And I enjoin everybody who believes to work with us, to also work together with everybody, that there’s no more acrimony.”
Peace has returned in Rivers’
On his part, Mr Fubara hailed the truce brokered by Mr Tinubu, explaining peace was needed for Rivers State to move forward.
“For me, it’s a day we have to thank Almighty God. For me, it’s very important that this day has come to be,” the suspended governor said.
Continuing, he said: “What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace, and by the Special Grace of God, this night, with the help of Mr. President and the agreement of the leaders of the state, peace has returned in Rivers State.”
A previous peace deal between the parties brokered by Mr Tinubu in 2023, which later collapsed, made the parties resume hostilities in Rivers State.
But Mr Fubara vowed that the latest truce would be sustained in the oil-rich South-south state.
“We’ll do everything within our power to make sure that we sustain it (the truce) this time around,” he assured of the fresh peace deal.
Meanwhile, details of the agreements reached by the parties remain unclear as of press time.
It is also unclear if Mr Fubara and the assembly members would be reinstated before the expiration of the six-month suspension issued by Mr Tinubu.
