Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, engaged in a friendly exchange on Tuesday, October 31, at the State House in Abuja.

Fubara and Wike were both present at a meeting of the Police Council, a body chaired by the President, and consisting of the 36 governors, the FCT Minister, the chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

These two prominent figures, who have been at the center of a political crisis in Rivers state, were seen shaking hands outside the Council Chambers of the State House. During the event, some other governors, including Wike, and the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, engaged in private conversations, while others shared light-hearted banter.

Wike later exchanged pleasantries with Governor Fubara, marking the first face-to-face encounter between the two since the reported feud between them began. The political situation in Port Harcourt had become tumultuous when the State House of Assembly split into factions, with both sides taking opposing actions.

Wike’s group removed the Leader of the House, Edison Ehie, and issued an impeachment notice to Governor Fubara. Meanwhile, the governor’s supporters in the House ousted the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, and replaced him with Ehie as the new speaker.

Leaders from various backgrounds in Rivers State have called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the crisis to prevent a complete breakdown of law and order in the state.

Security personnel present during the pleasantries did not permit journalists to capture the moment in photos or videos, moving or still.

The purpose of the Police Council meeting was to confirm the appointment of Kayode Egbetokun as the substantive Inspector-General of Police. This meeting marked the first time the Nigeria Police Council had convened since June 4, 2021, when President Muhammadu Buhari presided over a meeting at the State House.

Several state governors, including Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Abdullahi Abba (Kano), Bassey Ottu (Cross River), and others, were also in attendance.