Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has met with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara in Port Harcourt.
The meeting is part of ongoing efforts to resolve differences between the two political camps and strengthen their relationship ahead of the next election cycle in 2027.
Wike and Fubara have been involved in a prolonged political dispute that created divisions among political leaders and supporters in Rivers State.
On October 6, Wike, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Kingsley Chinda, and their supporters met with Fubara and members of his political camp at the governor’s residence in Port Harcourt.
The meeting lasted about four hours, but neither side addressed journalists afterwards or disclosed the details of their discussions.
The October meeting was seen as a good step towards resolving the political differences between the two camps after years of disagreements, including the dispute involving the governor and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The reconciliation effort has become particularly important following Fubara’s decision not to seek another term as governor.
Chinda subsequently emerged as the APC governorship candidate after Fubara withdrew from the contest.
Recall that Fubara had announced his decision to support the Rainbow Coalition and endorsed Chinda as the candidate of the coalition for the 2027 governorship election.
Speaking at a public event in July, Fubara said the political differences had ended and urged his supporters to support the coalition.
“We have made peace in the state and I am supporting our Rainbow Coalition. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is our President, and the one we are supporting, O.K Chinda is the governorship candidate that I am supporting and anybody who believes in me will support every candidate in this the Rainbow Coalition”.
Wike subsequently described Fubara’s return to the political camp as a development that would help consolidate the political arrangement in Rivers State.
Following the new alignment, a reconciliation committee headed by former Senator Magnus Abe was constituted to engage the governor and other members of his political camp.
In August, Abe and members of the committee met with the governor for the second time within a few weeks. Chinda was also present during the engagement.
The committee said the reconciliation process was intended to ensure that members of the political family were brought together despite their previous disagreements.
Abe, while speaking after one of the meetings, said the committee had made progress in its efforts to bring the different sides together.
“We are all in agreement, and we have made very good progress.”
The reconciliation committee also assured members of the coalition that there would be no victimisation because of their past political differences.
