Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Sunday received Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, at his residence in Port Harcourt as both political allies continued efforts to consolidate their reconciliation.
The meeting marked the first encounter between Wike and Fubara since the governor announced that he would not seek re-election in the 2027 governorship election.
Wike was accompanied by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Kingsley Chinda, and the Chairman of the Rainbow Coalition Reconciliation Committee, Magnus Abe.
The meeting is seen as another significant step in the ongoing efforts to resolve political differences between Wike and Fubara and strengthen peace within the Rivers State political landscape.
Fubara, on his part, was accompanied by former APC Deputy National Chairman, Sam Jaja.
The meeting came amid renewed efforts to mend the strained relationship between Wike and Fubara after months of political crisis that polarised Rivers State.
Wike had recently declared that the political feud with Fubara was over, saying the governor had agreed to return to the political family that supported his emergence as governor in 2023.
The relationship between the two men deteriorated shortly after Fubara assumed office, leading to a prolonged political crisis in the state.
The crisis resulted in impeachment proceedings initiated against Fubara by lawmakers loyal to Wike and eventually contributed to President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State.
The two camps later reached a truce, with Fubara joining the APC and aligning with the Wike-backed Rainbow Coalition.
Following Wike’s declaration that the feud had ended, a reconciliation committee headed by Abe was constituted to engage Fubara and his supporters.
Fubara has since declared his support for the Rainbow Coalition and endorsed Chinda as his preferred successor in the 2027 governorship election.