Suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has taken a bold step toward ending the protracted political crisis in the state by holding a peace meeting with the suspended Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and other aggrieved lawmakers.
The closed-door meeting, which took place on Thursday evening in Abuja, is being described as a critical breakthrough in the lingering dispute that has polarized Rivers State’s political landscape for months.
According to multiple reliable sources, the session ended on a cordial note, with Fubara and Amaewhule seen sharing laughter and exchanging a warm handshake—an interaction many have interpreted as a significant gesture of goodwill and reconciliation.
This is the first time Governor Fubara and the lawmakers have met face-to-face since the political turmoil began. The meeting marks a shift from earlier attempts at shuttle diplomacy to a direct engagement, which many believe is a more effective path toward genuine resolution.
An insider familiar with the development revealed to The Cable that Fubara has now embraced meaningful dialogue. “The suspended Governor is determined to make peace. He has started the real engagement,” the source said, suggesting that the governor is ready to mend fences and restore political order.
Fubara was suspended from office on March 19, 2025, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State—a move triggered by rising political instability and unrest. The National Assembly subsequently ratified the president’s decision, and retired Vice-Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas was appointed as interim administrator to oversee the state’s affairs for six months.
Although the governor had earlier met with President Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, this recent engagement with lawmakers is widely considered the most practical and progressive step toward a lasting resolution of the crisis.
Wike, a former governor and key political figure in the state, had consistently maintained that reconciliation must involve direct outreach to those Fubara allegedly sidelined, especially members of the State Assembly.
He accused Fubara of withholding salaries and allowances from the legislators for over two years, insisting that any meaningful peace process would require the governor to make amends.
Now, with this newly initiated dialogue, political observers are hopeful that Rivers State may be on the verge of restoring peace, unity, and effective governance.
The governor’s willingness to meet with his political adversaries is seen as a promising sign that the state’s prolonged political deadlock may soon come to an end.