Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has declared an end to the political feud with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, saying they have agreed to “bury the hatchet and embrace peace” for the stability of the state.
In a statewide broadcast on Friday, Mr Fubara acknowledged that the six months of emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu had tested the state’s resilience but stressed that reconciliation with Mr Wike was vital to restoring governance.
He noted that “the costliest peace is cheaper than the cheapest war,” pledging inclusiveness in the new dispensation.
Messrs Fubara and Wike fell out a few months after the former was sworn in as governor, setting the pace for a political crisis that spanned over a year and defied presidential interventions.
Citing an explosion that rocked a major oil pipeline in the state and the prolonged political feud between Messrs Fubara and Wike, Mr Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state on 18 March and suspended Mr Fubara, his deputy, and the state legislature.
The president appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired chief of naval staff, as the state’s sole administrator for six months.
On Wednesday, he lifted the emergency rule after six months, following the truce reached between Mr Wike and Governor Fubara.
“In the course of the six-month period, Mr. President graciously brokered the peace process with all the parties successfully. Our leader, Mr Wike, all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and I, as your Governor, have all accepted to bury the hatchet and embrace peace and reconciliation in the best interest of our dear Rivers State,” Mr Fubara said in the broadcast.
“To those who have expressed genuine fears, frustrations, and uncertainty over the nature of the peace process, I assure you that your concerns are valid and understood. However, nothing has been irretrievably lost; there remains ample opportunity for necessary adjustments, continued reconciliation, and inclusiveness. We must all remember the saying… ‘The costliest peace is cheaper than the cheapest war,’” the governor added.
Mr Fubara thanked everyone, including President Tinubu, Mr Wike and the people of the state for the restoration of peace in Rivers.
The FCT minister, Mr Wike, earlier told Nigerians that he had forgiven the governor and that peace had returned to the state.
“As I speak to you, as of yesterday (Wednesday), I spoke to the governor (Fubara). I told him I was leaving that night to come back, and he told me he was leaving this morning.
“So, I can tell you that, by the grace of God, peace has returned,” the minister said on Thursday night when he appeared as a guest on Channels TV’s Politics Today.
See the full text of Governor Fubara’s broadcast below:
STATEWIDE BROADCAST BY HIS EXCELLENCY, SIR SIMINALAYI FUBARA, GSSRS, ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2025
My dear good people of Rivers State
Recall that Rivers State was placed under a six-month emergency rule, declared by Mr. President, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on the 18th of March, 2025, following the intense political crisis in our State.
2. It is without doubt that the last six months had been enormously challenging for our dear State under the emergency rule.
3. As your Governor, I accepted to abide by the state of emergency declaration and chose to cooperate with Mr. President and the National Assembly, guided by my conviction that no sacrifice was too great to secure peace, stability, and progress of Rivers State.
4. This was why I also resisted the pressure to challenge the constitutionality of the declaration of a state of emergency, the suspension of democratic institutions, and all other actions that we endured during this difficult period.
5. In the course of the six-month period, Mr. President graciously brokered the peace process with all the parties successfully. Our Leader, His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and I, as your Governor, have all accepted to bury the hatchet and embrace peace and reconciliation in the best interest of our dear Rivers State.
6. We believe the political crisis is now behind us and that peace and stability have once again returned to Rivers State, though not without the hard lessons learnt from the emergency rule.
7. The responsibility now rests squarely on us: the Government, the State House of Assembly, political leaders and stakeholders to put aside our differences, work for the common good, and advance the interests of our people above all else. We have a duty to ensure that the peace we have all embraced remains permanent in our dear Rivers State.
8. On behalf of the Government and the good people of Rivers State, I extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mr. President for his fatherly disposition and decisive interventions in resolving the political crisis and for graciously restoring full democratic governance to our State.
9. Personally, I will never take Mr. President’s kindness for granted, and for that, I hereby reaffirm my utmost loyalty and eternal gratitude.
10. To those who have expressed genuine fears, frustrations, and uncertainty over the nature of the peace process, I assure you that your concerns are valid and understood. However, nothing has been irretrievably lost; there remains ample opportunity for necessary adjustments, continued reconciliation, and inclusiveness. We must all remember the saying… ” the costliest peace is cheaper than the cheapest war”.
11. Accordingly, let us, therefore, embrace this moment as a fresh beginning. Let us work together with renewed hope and determination to build a stronger, more peaceful and prosperous Rivers State. I assure you that we will continuously work towards ensuring that we carry everyone along.
12. Despite the turbulence, you are aware of the credible milestones our administration achieved in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and other key sectors over the last two years.
13. Our immediate responsibility is to return to the path of governance and development by completing the projects which we started by ensuring none of them is starved of funds or neglected, thereby reviving our economy, protecting lives and property, and improving the wellbeing of all Rivers people.
14. I commit to working harmoniously with the Rivers State House of Assembly to recover lost grounds and accelerate the social and economic advancement of our dear State. I also renew my pledge to serve with the fear of God, humility and a high sense of duty.
15. I wish to sincerely thank you, the resilient people of Rivers State, for your patience, courage, and peaceful conduct during the six months of emergency rule.
16. I also extend appreciation to all stakeholders, religious leaders, traditional rulers, civil society groups, political actors, women groups, youths, concerned citizens at home and abroad, and well-wishers whose prayers and support sustained us through the challenging period.
17. Above all, let us draw strength from our shared identity as Rivers people. Our diversity is our greatest asset, and our unity the strongest guarantee of our future. We must rise above bitterness and division and channel our energies into rebuilding trust, fostering inclusiveness, and securing a peaceful and prosperous State for all.
18. Once again, I thank and appreciate our Father, Mr President, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for his timely intervention and dedication to ensuring the restoration of peace and stability in our State.
19. 1 also thank our Leader, His Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON, the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory for committing to the prompt resolution of the political impasse in the State.
20. I also wish to express my profound thanks to the President of the Senate His Excellency Senator Godswill Akpabio; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, His Excellency Dr. Abbas Tajudeen; and the distinguished members of the National Assembly for the role they all played in the resolution of the matter.
21. I thank the Honourable Speaker and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, respected elders, stakeholders and all concerned citizens for working together to resolve our differences and ensuring peace and harmony in our State.
22. Finally, I call on all citizens of Rivers State, regardless of political, religious, or ethnic affiliation, to join hands in rebuilding our beloved State and securing a future of dignity and progress for everyone. In all, I give glory to the Almighty God.
Thank you all.
May God bless Rivers State and all its people.
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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