President Bola Tinubu has held a pivotal meeting in London with the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.
The encounter was reportedly initiated by Fubara himself, who assumed office in May 2023.
Although the specifics of their discussion remain under wraps, insiders revealed it marked the first direct interaction between both men since Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18.
That move, executed under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saw Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, ousted from office and Navy Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas appointed as sole administrator.
In his national broadcast on the day of the declaration, Tinubu justified the action, citing “months of intense political instability” that had “paralysed governance” and “threatened national stability.”
At the time of filing this report, DAILY GAZETTE could not confirm the full details of the London meeting, as several presidential aides contacted said they were not privy to the President’s latest overseas engagements.
Nevertheless, officials familiar with the matter disclosed that the President agreed to the meeting in a bid to calm the rising tensions in the oil-rich state.
According to one source, the two leaders discussed efforts at “restoring a functional government” in Rivers.
Though neither party has made public statements regarding the outcome, presidential aides, speaking anonymously, revealed that one of the key points of the meeting was “the possibility of Fubara returning to office before the end of his six-month suspension.”
President Tinubu, who had been away since April 2, first in Paris, then in London, returned to Abuja on Monday night, concluding an 18-day trip.
Meanwhile, political observers have noted the absence of Fubara’s estranged mentor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, from the talks.
Sources close to the matter say Wike was “reportedly uneasy” that such high-level deliberations occurred without his input.
