Fubara Declares Peace Restored in Rivers After Tinubu-Wike Truce

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara announced that peace has returned to the state following a truce brokered by President Bola Tinubu on June 26 with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and Rivers lawmakers. The agreement ends a state of emergency declared in March 2025, sparked by a political rift and a Trans-Niger Pipeline blast that cost Nigeria $14 million daily.

The crisis, rooted in Fubara’s fallout with Wike, his predecessor, led to the suspension of Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the state assembly, with Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas appointed as sole administrator. The move, criticized as unconstitutional, fueled tensions, with PDP governors demanding Fubara’s reinstatement. The truce reinstates the assembly and executive by July 2025, with a N10 billion fund allocated to rebuild the assembly complex, destroyed in 2023.

Fubara, speaking at a Port Harcourt rally on June 26, thanked Tinubu for restoring stability, while Wike pledged support for federal projects, including a $500 million port upgrade. The resolution aims to recover Rivers’ 20% oil output loss in Q1 2025, boosting Nigeria’s $400 billion GDP. Analysts see the truce as a strategic APC move to secure Rivers’ 5 million voters for 2027.