President Bola Tinubu on Thursday met with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Martins Amaewhule, and other members of the state assembly in a bid to end the lingering political crisis in the state.

The closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa marked the first time Governor Fubara was seen with President Tinubu since the president declared a state of emergency in Rivers on March 18.

During that declaration, Tinubu suspended the governor, his deputy Mrs Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly, citing their inability to work together and growing security concerns.

Thursday’s meeting appeared to signal a breakthrough in reconciliation efforts, as photographs released after the talks showed the president, governor, and minister smiling together.

Sources at the presidency say the meeting helped to reconcile the factions involved in the dispute that has paralysed governance in the oil-rich state.