President Bola Tinubu recently held a private meeting with the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, in London. This marked the first time they met face-to-face since the President imposed a state of emergency in the oil-rich state last month.

Sources confirmed that Fubara requested the meeting, which took place while Tinubu was concluding an 18-day trip that started in Paris and ended in the UK. Although the details of the discussions remain private, insiders revealed that the talks focused on addressing the ongoing political crisis in Rivers and the potential for Fubara’s return to office before his six-month suspension period concludes.

According to a presidential aide who wished to remain anonymous, the meeting was a high-level effort to resolve the growing political conflict. The aide mentioned that a plan is being considered to reintegrate Fubara into the leadership structure of the state.

Fubara’s suspension followed President Tinubu’s controversial use of Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution on March 18, which led to the removal of both Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu. The president cited “months of intense political instability” in Rivers, which he said had paralyzed governance and posed a threat to national stability.

Following Fubara’s suspension, Navy Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas was appointed as the sole administrator of the state. This decision sparked backlash from opposition leaders, with governors from seven PDP-controlled states filing a lawsuit at the Supreme Court to challenge the legality of the emergency rule and demand the restoration of elected leadership.

Notably absent from the London talks was Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Fubara’s former political mentor, Nyesom Wike. Sources close to the presidency suggest that Wike is uneasy about the outcome of these discussions and their potential impact.

In the coming days, President Tinubu is expected to facilitate further reconciliation talks with Fubara, Wike, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, in what could be a final push for peace and stability in