President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday held confidential discussions with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The meeting also had in attendance the Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru.

The engagement, held at the State House in Abuja, came against the backdrop of escalating political friction in Rivers State and ongoing uncertainties regarding Fubara’s standing within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Fubara arrived at the Presidential Villa at approximately 5:01 pm, where he was received by the Presidential Protocol Liaison Officer.

The session, which lasted until about 5:45 pm, was held entirely behind closed doors, with no official details released on the agenda or outcomes.

Governor Nwifuru’s meeting, which took place just before, similarly remained private, though it is believed to have addressed regional priorities such as infrastructure development and security concerns in the South-East.

The timing of Fubara’s engagement is particularly noteworthy, following the high-profile defection of 17 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

This defection has dramatically altered the power dynamics in the state legislature, reducing PDP-aligned members supportive of Fubara to just three.