Fresh Truce: Fubara to Appoint Commissioners, Assembly Set for Screening

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

In a decisive move to end the administrative deadlock in Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara is set to reconstitute his cabinet by appointing a new set of commissioners and other aides.

This development follows a high-stakes resolution where the Rivers State House of Assembly, previously at odds with the executive, has formally agreed to screen and approve the governor’s nominees.

The sudden shift toward legislative cooperation marks a significant de-escalation in a crisis that has threatened to paralyse the state’s governance for about two years.

THISDAY learnt that the breakthrough was achieved following the last marathon meeting at the Presidential Villa. President Bola Tinubu, acting as a mediator, had convened the closed-door session with Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The President’s intervention was aimed at brokering a sustainable peace between the two political heavyweights, whose fractured relationship had split the state’s loyalties and led to several legislative stalemates. After the meeting, Wike expressed optimism that this would be the final intervention needed to restore order.

The roots of the conflict trace back to a bitter altercation between Wike and his successor, Fubara, shortly after the 2023 elections. The disagreement centered on the control of the state’s political machinery, eventually leading to a fractured House of Assembly and the mass resignation of commissioners loyal to Wike.

Throughout the past two years, the state witnessed several failed attempts at reconciliation, with legal battles and impeachment threats becoming the norm. The chaos even led to a period of emergency rule in 2025, during which executive powers were temporarily suspended to prevent a total breakdown of law and order.

However, this latest intervention appears to have more weight. Following the Villa meeting, both leaders were seen together, signaling to their supporters that a formal truce had been reached.

As part of the new deal, the House of Assembly has committed to a smoother working relationship with the governor, sources told THISDAY, starting with the prompt confirmation of his new cabinet members.

For Fubara, the agreement provides the necessary breathing room to fill critical vacancies in his government and move forward with his development agenda. While the political climate in Rivers remains sensitive, the willingness of the House to approve these new aides suggests that the “Aso Rock Accord” might finally provide the stability the state has been searching for.