2027: Wike Makes Fresh Move As He Leads Rivers Lawmakers, 23 LG Chairmen To Meet Fubara

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has held another meeting with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara as efforts to ease their prolonged political differences continue ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to a report published by The Punch on Monday, October 19, 2026, Wike met with Fubara on Sunday at the governor’s private residence in Port Harcourt. The meeting was attended by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and chairmen of the state’s 23 local government areas.

The latest engagement followed an earlier meeting held approximately two weeks ago, when Wike led members of the Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State to meet with the governor.

That delegation reportedly included Kingsley Chinda, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the state’s 2027 governorship election.

Sunday’s gathering was particularly significant because it marked the first reported occasion on which Wike visited Fubara at his private residence in Port Harcourt.

Although details of their discussions were not immediately made public, the meeting was reportedly part of ongoing efforts to improve relations between the governor and political figures aligned with the FCT minister.

Sources indicated that the discussions were intended to build on previous reconciliation initiatives and explore possible ways of accommodating Fubara’s supporters within the state’s evolving political arrangements. However, it remains unclear whether any concrete agreement was reached during the meeting.

Wike was accompanied by several influential political figures, including the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, other lawmakers and the local government chairmen. Their presence brought together key stakeholders whose political positions have been closely linked to the crisis that has affected governance in Rivers State.

The disagreement between Wike and Fubara began after the governor succeeded Wike in 2023. Their relationship subsequently deteriorated, triggering a prolonged political confrontation involving the governor and the Amaewhule-led faction of the state legislature.

At the height of the crisis, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly made two attempts to impeach Fubara, while tensions also raised concerns about security and stability across the state. In October 2023, part of the Assembly complex along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt was bombed, further intensifying the political turmoil.

The dispute later attracted the attention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who declared a state of emergency in Rivers State in March 2025. The measure resulted in the suspension of Fubara, his deputy and members of the state legislature for an initial period of six months.

During the emergency, Tinubu appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas as administrator of the state. The elected officials subsequently returned to their respective positions after the suspension period.

Since their return, efforts have continued to restore stability and establish a workable relationship among the major political stakeholders in Rivers State. Wike’s latest meeting with Fubara is being viewed as another step in those reconciliation efforts, although the long-term impact of the discussions remains uncertain.