Tinubu, Fubara Meet in London to Discuss Rivers Political Crisis

President Bola Tinubu has met with suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in London, in what is believed to be a major step toward resolving the ongoing political crisis in the oil-rich state.

According to reports by The Africa Report, the meeting was requested by Fubara, who has remained largely out of public view since his suspension from office on March 18, 2025. The details of the private meeting remain undisclosed, as presidential aides declined to comment on the discussions.

This encounter marks the first direct engagement between Tinubu and Fubara since the President declared a state of emergency in Rivers State. Invoking Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, Tinubu removed Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, from office, citing prolonged political instability that had “paralysed governance” and “threatened national stability.” Navy Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas was subsequently appointed as sole administrator of the state.

The President, who had been on a foreign trip since April 2 with stops in Paris and London, returned to Abuja on Monday night after an 18-day absence.

Sources familiar with the London talks revealed that discussions centered around the possible reinstatement of Fubara before the expiration of his six-month suspension. However, there was no official confirmation or communique on the outcome of the meeting.

Notably absent from the meeting was the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Fubara’s former political ally and godfather, who is reportedly uneasy about renewed efforts to bring Fubara back into office without his involvement.

The President is expected to hold further meetings with Fubara, Wike, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the coming days to chart a long-term resolution to the impasse.

Meanwhile, opposition governors from seven PDP-controlled states have challenged the legality of the emergency declaration in a suit filed at the Supreme Court, demanding a return to democratic governance in Rivers State.