The escalating political crisis in Rivers State appeared to ease after Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, engaged with a peace and reconciliation committee amid ongoing impeachment threats by lawmakers.
The development came as a key group of legislators reportedly set conditions for halting impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu.
At the weekend, both principal actors in the crisis met with members of the seven-man peace committee established by the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF).
The committee, led by Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), first met Wike in Abuja before further discussions with Fubara in Port Harcourt. The engagements also included consultations with elder statesmen and leaders from both camps in the state capital.
A credible source told Vanguard that the sessions were “very fruitful”, noting that prior public tensions had given way to constructive dialogue.
“The outcome of those meetings is very encouraging. I can say that there is hope. A real renewed hope,” the source said. The committee has two weeks to conclude its work and present recommendations aimed at ending the impasse.
The political standoff in Rivers State has centred on repeated impeachment moves against Fubara and Odu by the Rivers State House of Assembly, with the legislature alleging gross misconduct.
Recently, the Assembly resumed impeachment plans after a temporary pause, including a vote to proceed with investigations into the allegations.
Investigations by Vanguard revealed that several lawmakers, including those who had earlier advocated for conciliation, withdrew their calls for peace after seeking assurances of political futures.
According to a key player involved in discussions, some legislators want commitments from the governor that they will secure return tickets in the 2027 general elections as a condition for halting impeachment.
The matter has also drawn legal attention. A Rivers State High Court issued an interim order restraining the state Chief Judge from acting on impeachment correspondences, effectively pausing the process until further court hearings scheduled for January 23, 2026.
In a related development, the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) urged the Chief Judge to respect the interim injunction and criticised the impeachment drive as a “needless legislative overreach”.
APC state officials also called on the national party leadership to activate internal mechanisms to address the situation.
The prolonged dispute traces back to a bitter political struggle between Fubara and his former political mentor, Wike, which has hampered governance in the state and fuelled repeated legal and legislative confrontations since Fubara’s governorship began in 2023.
Observers note that the outcome of the truce panel’s work and the lawmakers’ conditions will influence the state’s political stability and shape its governance ahead of the 2027 elections.
