President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday met with Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in what sources described as a high-stakes intervention as political tension heightens in the oil-rich state.
The closed-door meeting, held at the State House, Abuja, came at a time of growing uncertainty surrounding Governor Fubara’s political future and the deepening crisis within the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Fubara, who arrived the Presidential Villa at about 5:01 pm, was received by the Presidential Protocol Liaison Officer before proceeding immediately to the President’s office.
The meeting lasted until about 5:45 pm, with no official briefing offered to journalists.
Also at the Villa on Monday was the Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, who met separately with the President shortly before Fubara.
His discussions were also kept confidential, though Presidency sources hinted that security and infrastructure matters affecting the South-East might have featured prominently.
The timing of Governor Fubara’s visit, however, has fueled political speculation, coming barely days after 17 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly—loyal to former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike—defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
The lawmakers, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, dumped the PDP in a dramatic reshaping of the political landscape, leaving only three pro-Fubara members in the Assembly.
Political observers say the development has significantly weakened Fubara’s grip on the legislature, further intensifying the battle for control in the state.
A senior government source told PLATFORM TIMES that the President’s meeting with Fubara was “not unrelated to the unfolding realignments in Rivers State,” adding that the Presidency is keen on preventing the crisis from destabilising governance in the Niger Delta.
Though neither the Presidency nor the Rivers State Government has commented publicly on Monday’s engagement, signs indicate that Abuja may now be taking a more direct role in managing the political rupture between Fubara and his predecessor.
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