Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, departed the Presidential Villa in the same vehicle on Sunday night after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
This act is widely seen as a symbolic gesture hinting at a possible easing of the prolonged political conflict between the two figures.
Presidency officials confirmed that although the rivals arrived separately, they left together following the President’s intervention.
A source described the move as an indication that “both of them settled,” while another official acknowledged the meeting but did not disclose specifics of the discussions.
Reports indicate that after leaving the Villa, Governor Fubara accompanied Minister Wike to his Abuja residence.
The rift between the former allies began soon after Fubara assumed office in May 2023 and escalated into a major governance crisis, marked by an impeachment attempt against the governor, the demolition of the state assembly complex, and a prolonged power struggle.
President Tinubu had previously brokered a peace deal in December 2023, which later collapsed, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State in March 2025.
Though emergency rule was lifted in September 2025, tensions have persisted, with the state assembly recently issuing another impeachment notice against Governor Fubara.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
