President Bola Tinubu yesterday succeeded in reconciling the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyeson Wike; his political godson and the suspended governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara as well as the aggrieved members of the state Assembly, following his meeting with them at the Presidential Villa on Thursday night.

At the meeting held behind closed doors were Wike, Fubara, and the suspended lawmakers led by their Speaker, Hon. Martins Amaewhule.

No More Acrimony, We’ve Agreed To Work Together, Says Wike

Wike, however, expressed readiness to sheath his sword, work with the governor and other people towards the restoration of peace to the state.

Media Aide to Wike, Lere Olayinka confirmed the development, with a video clip which he forwarded to our reporter as a response to an inquiry on the matter.

In the video clip, Wike was heard saying that the meeting at the Presidential Villa has finally brought about the peace which Rivers State people earnestly desire for.

The Minister who expressed gratitude to God and President Tinubu, has also declared that the crisis has ended, enjoining all critical stakeholders to work together for the peace and progress of the state.

According to Wike, all the actors in the political crisis that has lingered for a long time in the state, are all members of the same political family.

He stated that it was not strange for family members to disagree on any issues,but stressed the need to always come to a round table to resolve contradicting differences.

Wike said “We have all agreed to work together with the governor, and the governor has agreed to work together with all of us. We are members of the same political family. Yes, just like humans, you will have disagreements, and you also have a time to settle your agreement, and that has been finally concluded today, and we have come to report to Mr. President.

“For me everything is all over, and I enjoin all those who believe to work with us to also work together with everybody, that there is no more acrimony, so for me, we have to thank the Almighty God”.

Also speaking to a media aide to the President who is also the Presidential cameraman, Sunday Moses, on the outcome of the meeting, Wike said: “We have all agreed to work together with the governor, and the governor also agreed to work together with all of us.

“We are members of the same political family. Yes, just like humans, you have a disagreement, and then you also have time to settle your disagreement.

“And that has been finally concluded today, and we have come to report to Mr President, that is what we have agreed. So, for me, everything is over.”

Fubara reacts

Fubara added: “For me, it’s a day we have to thank Almighty God. It is very important that this day has come to be.

“What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace and by the special grace of God this night, with the help of Mr President and the agreement of the leaders of the state, peace has returned in River State.

“We’ll do everything within our power to make sure that we sustain it this time around.”

Rivers residents speak

However, some residents of Rivers State have decried the peace deal brokered by Tinubu, alleging that in the pact, Fubara agreed to govern the state for a term, and make way for another candidate, who will be nominated by Wike.

It was also alleged that Fubara accepted the deal in order to return as governor, rather than risk another six months suspension, hence lose one full year or even lose out completely, and end up being removed from office.

Previous attempts by Tinubu to broker peace between the two camps had hit a brick wall in the past, forcing Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Rivers, on March 18.

But on Friday morning, Rivers’ people while reacting to the peace agreement said it was not peace, but a calculated attempt by Wike to completely “capture the state”.

Across social media platforms, there was an outrage over the manner Fubara was invited for the peace deal like “an orphan who lacks a political base, and real political heavyweights whose inputs would have counted,” as one commentator described the situation.

Another commentator, who toed the same line, complained that after being suspended for six months, Tinubu ought to have come up with this deal on Democracy Day on June 12, adding that he should have used the occasion to “reinstate Fubara as governor.”

They are unhappy that during the closed-door meeting in Abuja, while Martin Amaewhule, the suspended speaker of the Rivers assembly came with some lawmakers, who are in Wike’s camp, Fubara was a man alone.

They decried a situation where Fubara was made to relinquish some of the powers provided for him in the constitution, as well as his role as a political leader in the state, who can appoint or nominate candidates for elective offices in a bid to survive politically, rather than stand up to Wike.

They are also not happy that Fubara will not have a hand in the nomination of council chairmen, in a bid to make Wike control politics at the local government level.

A stalwart of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who is in the camp of Fubara, who did not want his name in print, said that “Fubara has completely lost out in the political power play in Rivers with this deal, which will make him more or less a leader without power.

“In all, I strongly feel that Rivers will be the big loser because the entire state has been handed over to one man. This is not good for democracy.

“Fubara did not make any input in that meeting. Whatever was agreed on there had been planned before he arrived.

“It is not a peace deal; rather it is an agreement that would completely make Fubara less powerful in the governance of the state.”

The President had on March 18, declared a state of emergency, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy, and all the State House of Assembly members for six months in the first instance.

Tinubu had announced and sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, as the sole administrator of Rivers State.

The suspension followed a protracted political crisis between Fubara on one hand and Wike and the majority of the state lawmakers on the other.

The President cited Fubara’s refusal to obey the Supreme Court order and security reasons for his decision to declare emergency in the state.