Fresh Political Tension in Rivers as Wike, Fubara Camps Clash over Commissioners’ Slots

• Months after a peace deal between Governor Sim Fubara and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Rivers state politics is still tense due to disagreements over the composition of the new cabinet
• Wike’s camp reportedly seeks significant influence in commissioner appointments, while Fubara retains his key loyalists
• Tinubu had in June 2025, brokered a peace deal between Fubara and Wike after a closed-door reconciliation meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja

Legit.ng's Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.

Port Harcourt, Rivers - Months after a peace deal was brokered by President Bola Tinubu, a fresh political tussle has emerged between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over commissioner appointments in Rivers state.

Insiders said the lingering crisis centres on the composition of a new cabinet, with the Wike camp reportedly seeking substantial representation.

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Following a prolonged political crisis that escalated into a six-month state of emergency in Rivers state, Tinubu had in June 2025, brokered a peace deal between Fubara and Wike after a closed-door reconciliation meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

In attendance at the meeting were key Rivers lawmakers, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, alongside Wike and Fubara, with both sides publicly confirming a truce.

However, findings by Sunday PUNCH show that the underlying issues fuelling the rift remain unresolved. At the first House of Assembly plenary after the emergency rule ended, Speaker Martin Amaewhule asked Governor Fubara to submit a fresh list of commissioner-nominees.

Despite retaining eight commissioners unaffected by the Supreme Court judgment recognising Amaewhule as speaker, Fubara’s new cabinet list has not reached consensus. According to the PUNCH, Insiders allege lawmakers may reject nominees not aligned with the Wike camp to retain influence.

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How many commissioner slots was Wike pushing for?

Findings showed that despite several meetings between the governor and the lawmakers, no consensus has been reached on the list of commissioner-nominees.

According to insiders, the lawmakers plan to reject any commissioner-nominee that does not align with the Wike camp in a bid to retain influence over the state’s political structure.

A top PDP source, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed Wike was pushing for up to 12 commissioner slots, raising questions over the governor’s discretion.

He said:

“If you want 12 commissioners, what will the governor have left?” the source asked.

“Asking for three, four or even five commissioners is understandable, but 12 is excessive, particularly after taking over all 23 Local Government Areas. Commissioners are the people a governor works closely with, and he must be comfortable with those appointments."

However, Chimelem Wodi, a PDP ally of Wike, dismissed the claim as political gossip. Wodi stressed that Wike had no need to hide any agreements and that the matter had already been settled.

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The PDP stakeholder said the governor had refused to come to terms with the reality of having a political godfather, insisting that the Rivers political issue had been settled by President Tinubu.

According to him, those pushing the narrative were political jobbers who resurfaced after months of irrelevance following the state of emergency.

“Those pushing the narrative are political jobbers who resurfaced after months of irrelevance,” he said.

“This is not what the FCT minister is known for,” he added.

Wike had declared after the June peace deal meeting that there was “no more acrimony” and that peace had returned to the state, while Fubara emphasised the need to sustain the agreement for the progress of the state.

Political pundits comment on Rivers' political tension

Civil society groups and political observers have expressed concern over the ongoing clashes in Rivers state. Enefaa Georgewill, Chairman of Civil Society Organisations in Rivers, criticised the dispute as a struggle for power rather than public welfare.

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He urged investment in economic empowerment programmes as a more effective way to unify the state, stressing that the conflict is more about who controls the resources of the state than the ordinary people.

Commenting on the situation, Luckyman Igila, spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress, warned that if the Amaewhule-led Assembly continued on its current path, constituents might begin recall processes.

Speaking with the PUNCH, Igila also questioned why lawmakers remained silent on a state budget that had been presented and approved by the National Assembly, arguing that both the APC and PDP had failed Rivers sate.

Rivers governor Fubara explains why he defected to APC

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reports that Governor Siminalayi Fubara explained the reason for defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Rivers state governor officially dumped the PDP and joined the APC by registering and receiving his card from the ruling party.

Governor Fubara assured APC members that he would take all necessary steps to strengthen the party in Rivers state.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng