Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has expressed confidence that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the State House of Assembly will abide by agreements reached through President Bola Tinubu’s intervention to end the protracted political crisis in the state.
Wike spoke in Abuja after inspecting ongoing projects in the capital, describing the President’s role as decisive in calming tensions between the executive and legislative arms in Rivers. He said he was hopeful the latest peace move would mark a turning point in the crisis.
According to the minister, President Tinubu hosted him, Governor Fubara, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and some elders from the state at the Presidential Villa on Sunday night, where fresh understandings were reached.
“I believe that by the grace of God, this will be the last time the President will be bothered with this issue and that this will be the last time the Rivers people will need to hear about this kind of discord,” Wike said.
He stressed that the President, as “father of the nation,” had given clear guidance that should be respected by all parties. “When a father speaks, his children must listen and do the needful to ensure peace and progress,” he said, adding that he was confident both the governor and the lawmakers would play their respective roles to sustain stability.
As part of the truce, Fubara is expected to forward a list of commissioner-nominees to the House of Assembly this week for screening and approval — a key step in normalising governance after months of friction that at one point saw impeachment moves initiated against the governor.
Wike maintained that the overriding priority should now be the peace and development of Rivers State, thanking President Tinubu for what he described as tireless efforts to restore understanding among the contending camps.
Meanwhile, Governor Fubara has credited one of his administration’s flagship infrastructure projects — the 50.15-kilometre Port Harcourt Ring Road — to Wike’s vision. The project, which includes five flyovers and a river-crossing bridge linking more than six local government areas, was conceived during Wike’s tenure as governor.
Speaking during an inspection of the project after the reconciliation meeting, Fubara described the FCT minister as his “Oga” and acknowledged that the initiative was designed to lay a solid foundation for his successor. He said the project’s completion remained a priority despite recent political tensions.
“For me, this project is very important considering the person who conceived it, my Oga, the Honourable Minister. He had a very big ambition. He believed that if I achieve this project in record time, Rivers people will be happy with me,” Fubara said.
The governor noted that the Ring Road was originally scheduled for completion within 36 months and expressed optimism that it would be delivered by October. He said significant progress had been made across the Eleme, Iriebe and Obio/Akpor axes, including work on the critical river-crossing bridge.
“In my assessment, what they need is funding, and from my own end, is the push. I strongly believe that this promise we made to our people will be delivered by October, God willing,” he added.
The renewed assurances from both leaders signal a cautious reset in Rivers politics, with attention now shifting from confrontation to governance and project delivery.
