The two major gladiators in the festering Rivers state political crisis, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara allegedly refused to exchange pleasantries when they met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the Villa on Tuesday.

Both Wike and Governor Fubara were part of the delegation from Ogoni that visited the President for a discussion on the possibility of resumption of oil production in Ogoniland.

A source in the meeting said “though both of them posed for a photograph with the President, they did not exchange pleasantries. No hug. No greetings. Everybody went straight for the meeting with the President and after that we all left”.

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He said Wike arrived at the Villa from where he went to inspect and commission projects and “immediately after the group photograph with the President, he went back to his duty post.

“As a minister from Rivers, Wike must, as a necessity, be present whenever the President is meeting with a delegation from the state. The meeting was not a platform for the discussion of Rivers political crisis. It was strictly a business parley”.

On whether the President discussed possible reconciliation between the two men, the source said there was no such opportunity. “The President only engaged Magnus (Abe). He told Magnus that he had not been seeing him for some time and Magnus replied that he had been around with the FCT Minister. At that point, Wike confirmed that Magnus had been working with him”, he said.

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Recall that only last Monday, Wike reiterated in a live television interview that he would never reconcile with Governor Fubara as long as the crisis continued.

Meanwhile, the pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF, has set up a peace committee headed by the former Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Obong Victor Attah to bring the two warring politicians to a negotiating table for possible reconciliation.

“This is yet another golden opportunity for both of them to end the fight and make up for peace so that Rivers state can move forward. The crisis is not doing the state any good. They must end this fight and utilize the opportunity offered by PANDEF”, a source said.