President Bola Tinubu convened a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday with key stakeholders, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, former governor Peter Odili, and others, to address the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.

This marks the second intervention by Tinubu in the feud between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

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The meeting addressed recent political developments, such as the defection of 27 state House of Assembly members to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The closed-door discussions also involved Vice President Kashim Shettima, Rivers State Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, PDP acting chairman Aaron Chukwuemeka, and others.

Following the meeting, the conflicting factions signed a peace agreement at the Presidential Villa, outlining conditions in an eight-point communiqué.

These conditions include withdrawing court matters initiated by the governor, dropping impeachment proceedings against Fubara, recognizing the leadership of the Assembly as acknowledged by Martin Amaewhule, and other measures aimed at restoring stability.

In related developments, the court-recognized Speaker of the House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, declared the seats of the 27 defected lawmakers vacant, triggering legal actions.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim order preventing INEC from conducting by-elections for the vacant seats.

Former Minister of Works and Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, asserted that President Tinubu’s intervention in the political tensions in Ondo and Rivers states was unnecessary, emphasizing the constitutional limitations on presidential involvement in such matters.

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The crisis has taken a toll on Rivers State, prompting Ogoni people to threaten street protests in Abuja.

The Rivers State Elders and Leaders Forum, led by Rufus Ada George, urged President Tinubu to consolidate on his earlier intervention, expressing concerns over the misuse of political power and the potential ramifications of inaction.

Another group, Ida Obolo Sim Vanguard, criticized Wike for escalating political unrest in the state, calling on President Tinubu to act swiftly for the benefit of the administration and the Nigerian economy.