President Bola Tinubu has reportedly stepped in to suspend ongoing impeachment proceedings against Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Mrs. Odu, amid escalating political tensions in the state.

The Rivers State House of Assembly had initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara on January 8 over alleged gross misconduct. This marked the third attempt to remove him since his election in 2023. The political crisis intensified after former Governor Nyesom Wike accused Fubara of reneging on a peace deal brokered by President Tinubu in June 2025.

In a bid to stabilize the situation, Tinubu instructed an immediate halt to all impeachment moves, imposing strict conditions. According to ARISE News, the President demanded that Governor Fubara formally recognise Wike as the undisputed political leader in Rivers State, giving him authority over party matters.

The directive was issued shortly before Tinubu departed for an official visit to Türkiye on January 26, 2026. The President warned Wike and his loyalists in the state legislature that continued political hostilities would destabilize governance in the oil-rich state.

Tinubu emphasized the importance of political seniority, describing Wike as an elder statesman whose influence in Rivers politics remains significant. The rift between Fubara and Wike reportedly began after Fubara’s inauguration in May 2023, as the governor sought to assert independence from his former political patron.

The latest intervention underscores the federal government’s urgent efforts to defuse a prolonged political standoff that has paralyzed governance in Rivers State.