Tinubu meets Gov Fubara after suspension lift in Aso Viilla

President Bola Tinubu on Monday held a closed-door meeting with Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Fubara, who arrived at the State House around 6:22pm dressed in a white caftan and black cap, was meeting the President officially for the first time since his six-month suspension from office and the subsequent lifting of the state of emergency in Rivers on September 18, 2025.

Tinubu had, in a controversial national broadcast on March 18, 2025, declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state, suspended democratic institutions, and appointed a sole administrator to run its affairs.

The move drew sharp criticism from opposition parties, civil society groups, and rights activists, who described it as an attack on democracy.

Although details of Monday’s meeting were not disclosed, its timing has sparked speculation that it may be linked to the lingering political crisis in Rivers State and the state’s significance in Niger Delta and national politics.

Fubara’s visit came shortly after Tinubu held consultations with several power brokers, including Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Kwara governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq; Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo governor, Hope Uzodimma; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji; and Finance Minister, Wale Edun.

The Rivers political crisis has remained one of the most contentious issues under Tinubu’s administration, with critics accusing the Presidency of exploiting federal power to weaken the state’s democratic structures.