The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, made a joint public appearance on Saturday at the funeral of Wike’s uncle, Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, held in Rumuepirikom, Rivers State.
Their appearance comes just two days after a reconciliation meeting facilitated by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking to journalists following the closed-door session at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, Wike confirmed that both parties had agreed to end their long-standing political feud.
“We’ve all agreed to collaborate with the governor, and he has likewise committed to working with us. We belong to the same political family,” Wike stated.
He acknowledged that the dispute had persisted for several months but described the new agreement as “conclusive.”
The rift between Wike and Governor Fubara began shortly after Fubara assumed office in May 2023. Tensions peaked in October when lawmakers aligned with Wike in the Rivers State House of Assembly initiated impeachment proceedings against the governor.
In response, Governor Fubara ordered the demolition of the Assembly complex after a suspicious fire incident, prompting lawmakers to relocate their sessions to a temporary location.
As the power struggle intensified, President Tinubu intervened in December 2023, brokering a truce that led to the governor conceding several political appointments to Wike’s faction. However, the fragile peace eventually collapsed.
On March 18, 2025, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Fubara’s executive powers for an initial six-month period. A sole administrator, retired Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, was appointed to manage the state’s affairs during the suspension.
Saturday’s funeral in Rumuepirikom marks the first public appearance by Wike and Fubara since Tinubu’s renewed intervention.
Also present at the event were Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, along with other key allies of Wike.
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