Tinubu meets Gov Fubara, Nwifuru behind closed doors in Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday held separate closed-door meetings with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru at the State House, Abuja.

The visits come amid rising political tensions in Rivers State and growing speculation over Governor Fubara’s future in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Governor Fubara arrived the Presidential Villa at about 5:01 p.m. and was received by the Presidential Protocol Liaison Officer before proceeding to the President’s office.

He departed at about 5:45 p.m., with details of his discussions with the President not disclosed as at press time.

Earlier, Governor Nwifuru was also ushered into the Villa for a separate engagement with President Tinubu. Like Fubara’s visit, the agenda of the meeting was not made public.

Tinubu’s meeting with Fubara comes just days after 17 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly—loyal to the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike—defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The faction, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has significantly altered the political equation in the House.

Only three lawmakers believed to be aligned with Governor Fubara remain in the PDP, and they have not reconvened since the lifting of emergency rule in the state on September 18.

Governor Nwifuru, a former Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly and now an APC governor, has held a series of engagements with the Presidency in recent months, largely centred on infrastructure development and security coordination across the South-East.