Tinubu Steps In to Halt Rivers Crisis as Wike, Fubara Impeachment Battle Escalates
The Rivers State political crisis has escalated to a critical level, forcing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene directly in the deepening rift between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara. With impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, suddenly revived, the President has reportedly ordered an urgent high level meeting with key actors to prevent a complete breakdown of governance in the oil rich state.
Presidency sources confirm that Tinubu, currently on an overseas engagement, has summoned Wike to an emergency meeting expected to hold in Dubai or France as part of efforts to contain the fast spreading political turmoil.
The intervention follows a dramatic session of the Rivers State House of Assembly on Thursday, January 8, 2026, during which 26 lawmakers led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule issued a fresh notice of gross misconduct against the governor.
The allegations, listed across seven points, include claims of unauthorized spending, refusal to release funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, and the demolition of the Assembly complex. Lawmakers also accused Fubara of failing to present the 2026 budget, a move they say has stalled the state’s fiscal operations and justified the commencement of impeachment proceedings.
This renewed confrontation signals the collapse of the fragile peace arrangement brokered by President Tinubu in late 2025 after months of political paralysis that led to a state of emergency and the appointment of a sole administrator. Although the agreement briefly restored calm, tensions resurfaced when Wike publicly accused Fubara of abandoning the terms of their settlement and openly questioned his chances of securing a second term.
In response, the governor reportedly left the country on Thursday aboard a private jet to seek direct engagement with the President, describing the impeachment move as a calculated effort to destabilize his administration.
Concerns over the situation have drawn reactions from across the political and ethnic spectrum. The Ijaw National Congress, alongside several APC leaders, has warned that a forced removal of the governor could reignite unrest in the Niger Delta. Some party insiders have also urged the President to rein in Wike, arguing that continued political interference in Rivers State undermines federal authority and projects institutional weakness at the centre.
As the January 15 deadline for Governor Fubara’s formal response approaches, attention has shifted to the anticipated international meeting convened by the President. The outcome is expected to determine whether Rivers State moves toward lasting reconciliation or slides further into political instability, with many observers warning that the struggle now unfolding could signal the early beginning of the 2027 electoral battle.