LAGOS, Nigeria – Suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, held a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday at the President’s private residence in Ikoyi, Lagos—marking their first public engagement since Fubara’s suspension in March 2025.
Although official details of the meeting were not disclosed, sources close to the presidency hinted that the dialogue was “crucial” and likely centered on resolving the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, ahead of the expiration of the six-month emergency rule in September 2025.
Photographs released by the State House Media Unit showed President Tinubu and Fubara smiling and posing for the cameras—a rare moment of public cordiality amid deepening political divisions in the oil-rich state.
President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, citing rising political instability and economic disruption. As part of the emergency measures, Tinubu suspended Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state assembly.
The presidential action, however, has drawn heavy criticism from opposition parties, particularly the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and various civil society groups, who argue that the move undermines constitutional governance and democratic norms.
In a separate high-profile engagement on Tuesday, President Tinubu hosted Bill Gates, billionaire philanthropist and Co-Founder of Microsoft, at the same Lagos residence. Gates was accompanied by Nigerian business magnate and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
During the visit, President Tinubu conferred upon Bill Gates the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) in recognition of his philanthropic efforts and global contributions to healthcare and development. Gates received the medal and official certificate during a brief decoration ceremony.
