President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly reached a discreet political settlement that allows Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to complete his current tenure on the condition that he forfeits any ambition to contest the 2027 governorship election. According to details published by TheCable, the deal was finalized during a closed-door meeting in Abuja, attended by key political figures including Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
As part of the arrangement, Wike is said to have secured full authority to nominate chairpersons for all 23 local government areas across Rivers State, effectively restoring his grassroots political network. This reaffirms his relevance in state politics, following a bitter feud with Governor Fubara that split the state assembly and threatened to destabilize governance.
Observers believe the agreement is a calculated political maneuver by President Tinubu aimed at preserving party unity and averting further tension in one of the country’s most politically volatile yet economically strategic states. The president, who is keen on stabilizing key regions ahead of the 2027 general elections, reportedly insisted on the compromise as a means of preventing a prolonged power tussle that could embarrass the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Governor Fubara, although reportedly reluctant, is said to have bowed to presidential pressure, accepting to serve out his term in exchange for peace and the avoidance of impeachment or further constitutional confrontations. Wike, on the other hand, appears to have traded away the prospect of his protégé’s second term in return for undisputed control of the political machinery at the grassroots.
This deal, if fully implemented, effectively turns Fubara into a lame-duck governor and solidifies Wike’s grip on the state’s political architecture. Critics argue that the move undermines internal democracy and elevates personal loyalty over institutional authority. Nonetheless, political analysts see Tinubu’s intervention as a short-term victory for the presidency—preventing instability, rewarding a loyal ally, and preserving electoral advantage in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 polls.
While there has been no official confirmation from the presidency, the silence from both Wike and Fubara only lends further credence to the reports. The real test, however, will be whether this fragile peace holds, or whether new factions emerge as the countdown to 2027 continues.