In a major step toward cementing their newfound political truce, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike hosted Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara at his Port Harcourt residence on Sunday.

The high-profile gathering marked the first direct meeting between the two leaders since Governor Fubara publicly announced that he would not seek a second term in office.

Fubara was accompanied on the visit by Dr. Sam Jaja, former Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Upon arrival, they were warmly received by Wike alongside Kingsley Chinda, the APC’s consensus governorship candidate in Rivers State, and Senator Magnus Abe, who currently chairs the Rainbow Coalition’s reconciliation committee.

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Sunday’s meeting is the latest in a series of engagements aimed at consolidating the reconciliation between Wike and Fubara following their prolonged and bitter political feud. The relationship between the two heavyweights broke down shortly after Fubara assumed office in 2023, plunging the oil-rich state into a severe political crisis that heavily polarized the state.

The ensuing dispute saw state lawmakers loyal to Wike initiate impeachment proceedings against the governor, a conflict that rapidly escalated until President Bola Tinubu intervened by declaring a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State to restore administrative order.

Following months of intense tension, the two warring camps eventually reached a comprehensive truce. As part of the peace deal, Fubara officially joined the APC and integrated into the Wike-backed Rainbow Coalition. Wike recently declared that the political rift was officially over, noting that Fubara had returned to the political family that originally supported his emergence as governor.

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The Path to 2027

To formalize the ongoing peace process, a reconciliation committee headed by Senator Abe was constituted to actively engage Fubara and his core supporters.

Since the truce, Governor Fubara has fully declared his backing for the Rainbow Coalition and publicly endorsed Kingsley Chinda as his preferred successor for the 2027 governorship election. Furthermore, Fubara declared his support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid, urging his followers to fully back the president and all candidates running under the coalition’s umbrella.

Fubara had initially been screened alongside Chinda for the APC governorship primary. However, he later withdrew from the race, stating that his decision to step aside was a necessary sacrifice made in the best interest of peace and unity in Rivers State. Following Fubara’s withdrawal, Chinda remained as the sole aspirant and subsequently emerged as the APC’s official governorship candidate.