“Wike, Fubara Avoid Pleasantries in Meeting with President Tinubu Amid Rivers Crisis”

The ongoing political crisis in Rivers State was evident during a recent meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the two major figures in the conflict, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, reportedly refused to exchange pleasantries.

The two were part of a delegation from Ogoni, discussing the potential resumption of oil production in the region. However, despite posing for a group photograph with the President, neither Wike nor Fubara offered any greetings or engaged with one another. According to a source present at the meeting, “No hug. No greetings. Everybody went straight for the meeting with the President, and after that, we all left.”

Wike arrived at the Villa earlier, having also attended project inspections and commissioning events, and immediately returned to his duties after the meeting and photograph. The source emphasized that the meeting with President Tinubu was focused solely on the Ogoni oil issue, with no discussion regarding the political dispute between Wike and Fubara.

While the President did engage with Magnus Abe, another prominent Rivers politician, the possibility of a reconciliation between Wike and Fubara was not broached. Wike confirmed during the interaction that Abe had been working closely with him, but no effort was made to mediate between the two warring leaders.

The tensions between Wike and Fubara have been escalating, with Wike publicly stating just the previous Monday in a live interview that he would not reconcile with Fubara as long as the current political crisis persists.

In response to the ongoing feud, the pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) has formed a peace committee, led by former Akwa Ibom Governor Obong Victor Attah. The committee’s aim is to facilitate dialogue and reconciliation between Wike and Fubara for the sake of peace and progress in Rivers State. A source close to the forum expressed that this was a crucial opportunity for both leaders to end the conflict and prioritize the state’s future.