The political storm that has battered Rivers State for months did not arrive without warning, nor is it ending without consequences. Behind the public statements, court orders, legislative standoffs, and dramatic accusations lies a far-reaching political agreement whose implications may redefine power, loyalty, and democratic choice in one of Nigeria’s most strategically important states. At the centre of this unfolding drama is a claim by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former governor of Rivers State, that the deal which brought Siminalayi Fubara to power was explicit, binding, and unambiguous: no second term ambition, no control of local governments, and in return, peace and stability in Rivers State.
According to Wike, that agreement was later violated, triggering the political implosion that plunged Rivers into legislative paralysis and executive-legislative warfare. Now, fresh revelations emerging from inside the Presidency suggest that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally intervened to broker a truce—one that may restore calm but at an enormous political cost to Governor Fubara.
Multiple sources familiar with the negotiations told DDM NEWS that President Tinubu agreed to reinstate Fubara as the substantive governor of Rivers State following weeks of tension and institutional breakdown, but only under strict and far-reaching conditions. Chief among them: that Fubara would complete his constitutionally mandated four-year tenure but categorically abandon any ambition to seek re-election in 2027.
The Making of a Political Pact
To understand the gravity of the current deal, one must return to the power transition of 2023. Wike, a dominant political force in Rivers for eight years, handpicked Siminalayi Fubara as his successor after an intense internal struggle within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). At the time, the choice was framed as continuity, stability, and loyalty. But insiders now insist it was also anchored on a deeper, unwritten understanding.
“The arrangement was clear: no second term, no local government control, and peace will return,” Wike was quoted as saying, a statement that has since reverberated across Nigeria’s political space. According to sources close to the former governor, Fubara was never meant to build an independent political structure or challenge the existing power configuration in Rivers. His role, they say, was transitional—govern, maintain stability, and exit after one term.
What changed, then, is the question that now dominates political discourse.
From Alliance to Open Warfare
Barely months into his tenure, cracks began to appear in the relationship between Fubara and his political benefactor. Disagreements over appointments, control of state institutions, and political loyalty quickly escalated into open confrontation. The Rivers State House of Assembly became the main battleground, splitting sharply along pro-Wike and pro-Fubara lines.
At the height of the crisis, 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike were suspended, effectively crippling the legislative arm and plunging the state into constitutional uncertainty. Accusations flew from both sides: betrayal, insubordination, political overreach, and sabotage. The situation deteriorated to the point where governance was stalled, public confidence shaken, and national attention firmly fixed on Port Harcourt.
For Wike, the crisis was the direct result of a broken pact. For Fubara’s supporters, it was the inevitable consequence of a governor attempting to assert independence and govern without external control.
Tinubu Steps In
With Rivers State teetering on the edge of prolonged instability, President Bola Tinubu reportedly decided that federal intervention was unavoidable. Sources within the Presidency confirmed to DDM NEWS that a closed-door meeting was convened at the Presidential Villa, bringing together all the principal actors in the crisis.
Present at the meeting were President Tinubu; Nyesom Wike, now a powerful cabinet member; Governor Siminalayi Fubara; Martin Amaewhule, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly; and several lawmakers aligned with Wike. The atmosphere, according to those briefed on the meeting, was tense but pragmatic.
“The President made it clear that Rivers could not continue like this,” a senior presidency source told DDM NEWS. “The crisis was undermining governance, investor confidence, and national stability. Something had to give.”
What emerged from that meeting was a truce—carefully negotiated, politically weighted, and deeply consequential.
The Conditions of Peace
At the core of the agreement is Fubara’s reinstatement as governor, effectively restoring executive authority and ending the immediate constitutional limbo. But that restoration came with conditions that dramatically curtail his political future and operational control.
According to multiple presidency sources, Fubara agreed that he would not seek re-election in 2027 under any circumstances. This concession, insiders say, was designed to neutralize his long-term political leverage and reassure Wike’s camp that the existing power structure in Rivers would not be permanently disrupted.
In addition, Wike was reportedly granted the authority to nominate all local government chairpersons across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State. This provision, sources say, is not symbolic—it is strategic.
“Local government control is the backbone of grassroots politics,” a presidency source explained to DDM NEWS. “By retaining that leverage, Wike effectively maintains political dominance at the base, even without direct control of the state government.”
This arrangement, insiders argue, restores Wike’s grassroots machinery, ensuring his continued relevance and influence ahead of future political contests.
The Legislature and the Price of Calm
The agreement also addressed the legislative deadlock that had paralysed governance. As part of the truce, Fubara reportedly agreed to pay all outstanding allowances, salaries, and entitlements owed to the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike who were suspended during the crisis.
This concession was crucial, sources say, to restoring the functionality of the Rivers State House of Assembly and bringing the lawmakers back into the fold. It was also a tacit acknowledgment that the suspensions, while politically expedient at the time, had become unsustainable.
“The deal was about restoring calm,” a source familiar with the negotiations told DDM NEWS, “but it came at a steep cost for Fubara.”
Democratic Order or Political Bargain?
Officially, presidency sources describe the agreement as part of a broader effort to restore democratic order in Rivers State. Privately, however, the deal has ignited fierce debate about the limits of democracy, the ethics of political bargains, and the power of unelected agreements over voters’ choices.
Critics argue that conditioning a sitting governor’s reinstatement on abandoning re-election ambitions undermines the very essence of democratic competition. Others question the propriety of allowing a federal minister to effectively control local governments in a state he no longer governs.
Supporters of the deal, however, insist that Rivers was heading toward chaos and that compromise was necessary to avert a deeper crisis.
“This was not an ideal solution,” a senior political insider told DDM NEWS, “but it was a practical one. The alternative was prolonged instability, court battles, and a complete breakdown of governance.”
Wike’s Enduring Shadow
What the agreement makes abundantly clear is that Nyesom Wike’s influence in Rivers politics remains formidable. Despite leaving office and taking up a federal role, he has retained deep control over party structures, legislative alliances, and now, reportedly, local government administration.
For Wike, the truce appears to validate his long-held position that political agreements must be respected. His assertion that “the agreement was clear” is not merely rhetorical—it is now backed by a settlement that largely aligns with his original terms.
Political analysts note that Wike’s ability to extract such concessions speaks volumes about his strategic relevance within the ruling power structure at the national level.
Fubara: Governor, But at What Cost?
For Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the agreement presents a paradox. On one hand, he retains his office, authority, and the opportunity to complete his tenure. On the other, his political wings appear clipped.
Without control of local governments and barred from seeking re-election, Fubara’s capacity to build a lasting political legacy is severely constrained. Some of his supporters see the deal as a betrayal of the popular mandate he received in 2023. Others argue that survival within a hostile political environment required painful compromise.
“Fubara chose governance over prolonged war,” a political observer told DDM NEWS. “Whether history judges that choice kindly remains to be seen.”
The Bigger Picture
Beyond Rivers State, the episode raises fundamental questions about Nigerian politics: the power of godfatherism, the fragility of institutions, and the extent to which behind-the-scenes agreements shape democratic outcomes.
It also underscores the growing role of the Presidency as an arbiter in state-level political conflicts, a trend that some analysts warn could weaken federalism if left unchecked.
As Rivers State cautiously steps back from the brink, the calm is fragile, the wounds are deep, and the future uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the 2027 political landscape in Rivers has already been reshaped—not by voters, but by negotiation.
For DDM NEWS, this developing story is not just about one state or one agreement. It is a window into the mechanics of power in Nigeria, where loyalty, leverage, and compromise often matter as much as ballots and constitutions. Whether the truce delivers lasting peace or merely postpones another confrontation will depend on how faithfully its terms are honoured—and how long the people of Rivers are willing to accept politics decided behind closed doors.