President Bola Tinubu on Monday held a private meeting with Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The discussion, which took place behind closed doors, has sparked fresh reactions across political circles, especially as Rivers State continues to witness rising tension and shifting alliances.
Governor Fubara arrived at the Villa shortly after 5 p.m. He was received by the Presidential Protocol Liaison Officer before being led into the President’s office.
The meeting lasted for a little over 40 minutes. However, the Presidency has not released any official information on what was discussed.
The timing of the meeting has drawn significant attention. This comes just days after 17 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, defected from the PDP to the APC, a move widely interpreted as a major blow to Governor Fubara’s political base.
These lawmakers are loyal to the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, whose political rift with Fubara has dominated the state’s political landscape for months.
With the latest defections, the PDP’s strength in the state legislature has shrunk drastically. Only three lawmakers believed to be on the governor’s side remain, and they have kept a low profile since the political crisis escalated.
The sudden shift in the House has raised questions about Fubara’s future in the PDP and what moves he may take next.
Shortly before Fubara’s arrival, Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, also visited the Villa for a separate meeting with President Tinubu. As of the time of filing this report, details of Nwifuru’s discussion with the President were also not disclosed.
Nwifuru, an APC governor and former Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, has recently been involved in several consultations with the Presidency on issues connected to infrastructure projects and security strategies in the South-East.
Tinubu’s back-to-back meetings with the two governors have fuelled speculation within political circles, especially as the President continues to navigate sensitive political developments across several states.
At the moment, none of the governors have issued official statements regarding their visit, but sources within their political camps suggest that national politics, party realignments, and state-level tensions may have been part of the conversations.
