Rivers State may be moving toward calm as Governor Siminalayi Fubara and former mentor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, engaged with a peace panel to resolve the ongoing political tension over impeachment threats.
The seven-member reconciliation committee, set up by the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) and led by Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), first met Wike in Abuja before holding a three-hour session with Fubara in Port Harcourt. Discussions also included elders and leaders from both camps, who are working to find a lasting solution.
A source close to the process described the meetings as “very fruitful,” saying there is now renewed hope for resolving the crisis. The panel is expected to submit its report within two weeks with recommendations to restore peace in the state.
Meanwhile, lawmakers who had earlier pushed for Fubara’s impeachment appear to have paused the process. Sources suggest that some legislators are seeking political assurances for the 2027 elections rather than addressing genuine misconduct claims.
In a related development, the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the state Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, to obey a High Court order restraining him from acting on impeachment requests. The party criticized the Assembly for overstepping its authority and warned that such actions could hurt the party’s interests in the state.
Adding weight to Fubara’s position, over 50,000 Ijaw citizens from neighboring states have reportedly transferred their voting rights to Rivers ahead of the next governorship election. Ijaw leaders have urged APC to protect the governor, warning that impeachment could be seen as a betrayal of the community.
The Wike-Fubara feud began over disagreements on state governance, legislative cooperation, and political influence after Fubara defected to APC in December. Despite repeated interventions by President Bola Tinubu, including a six-month state of emergency in 2025, tensions have continued, resurfacing in the current impeachment standoff.
