Political allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have taken another step towards ending the long-running political dispute in Rivers State after meeting with Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
The meeting brought members of the Rainbow Coalition and previously estranged political figures closer to the governor, with both sides signalling a willingness to put their differences behind them and work together.
Members of the reconciliation committee led by former Senator Magnus Abe said the current peace process would not be used to punish those who previously stood on different sides of the political divide.
The committee said every member of the political family would be given equal treatment as efforts continue to rebuild unity within the group.
A statement issued by the Rivers State Government after the meeting said it was the second time the Abe-led committee had met with Fubara within two weeks.
Speaking after the meeting, Abe said the committee had made substantial progress in its discussions and wanted Rivers residents to understand that a new political chapter was beginning in the state.
He said the group had been holding consultations to determine how its members could return to working together despite their previous disagreements.
Abe stated, “I’m sure that Rivers people will be very curious to understand exactly what we have been talking about.
“So, I know that this will be very good news for all Rivers people who are interested in the unity, progress and prosperity of Rivers State. We are all in agreement, and we have made very good progress.
“Our coming together signals a significant shift in the political atmosphere of the state, and we believe that all well-meaning Rivers people will be very happy to see that finally, the peace that all Rivers people crave is here.”
The committee also stressed that there would be no discrimination against members based on the positions they took during the crisis.
Also speaking after the meeting, the South-South Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Samuel Nwanosike, praised Fubara for receiving the delegation.
Nwanosike said the meeting was evidence that the political family was coming together again after months of division.
“I’m so excited. The last meeting went well. Today’s meeting went extraordinarily well, and it shows clearly to the people of Rivers State that the family is back; sincerely back, and soon, they will see the working of the Rainbow Coalition.
“We will give the people of Rivers State the dividends of democracy they’ve been expecting from all angles,” Nwanosike said.
He described the governor’s reception of the delegation as an important step in rebuilding trust among the different camps.
Chief Ambrose Nwuzi, another member of the delegation, also confirmed that those who had remained sympathetic to Fubara had agreed to embrace the reconciliation process.
According to him, the disagreements that divided the political family were part of the challenges that can arise between individuals and groups.
“Our leader has spoken, and our overall leader has equally spoken and accepted that there is a need for all of us to reconcile. I can tell you that we have reconciled.
“All that we are waiting for is for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to put the seal on the reconciliation process which has been going on for the past few weeks,” he said.
The latest meeting comes against the background of Fubara’s public decision to return to the political family associated with Wike.
Politics Nigeria recalled in July, the governor openly declared his support for the Rainbow Coalition and President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.
He also asked his supporters to support candidates presented by the coalition.
Fubara had said, “I am already in the family. I have returned to our family. Give your total support to the coalition. The time of war is over; it is now time for peace, and that peace will take us to another level.”
The governor also made it clear that he would not support any political activity capable of reopening the crisis.
“I am not party to anything that will bring any form of disunity in this state. We have done what we need to do, and now we are moving forward,” he said.
Wike subsequently welcomed Fubara’s return and dismissed suggestions that the governor needed to be forgiven for choosing to reconcile with the political group that produced him.
The FCT minister said, “I don’t know what you mean by sin. In politics, there is no sin. If someone realises they made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that. Politics is not a sin. What matters is recognising that you were on the wrong path and making the right decision.”