Favour Ishember, Abuja
Barr Nyesom Wike has declared that the Rainbow Coalition was established to unite political interests in Rivers State around a common goal, insisting that party affiliations should not stop leaders from working together for the state’s progress and President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers, Kwara, Benue, Ondo, Ogun and other states to throw their weight behind Tinubu, saying political differences should not stand in the way of supporting the president.
“Every PDP member in Rivers State will support Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Every PDP member in Kwara State, you will support Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Every PDP member in Benue State, you will support Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Wike declared.
He extended the appeal to PDP members across the country, arguing that Nigeria’s political future depended on cooperation among leaders who shared the same vision for the presidency.
Wike spoke during the official unveiling of Rainbow Coalition candidates in Port Harcourt, where he rallied political leaders and candidates from different political parties behind Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
The FCT minister, who leads the Rainbow Coalition, urged PDP members nationwide to support Tinubu regardless of party affiliation.
The gathering was attended by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, former Rivers governor and Senator Magnus Abe, political leaders and candidates drawn from different parties under the coalition.
Wike also launched a fresh attack on opposition figures, particularly former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, questioning the consistency of his political positions and his ability to present a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He questioned whether Rivers voters would support Atiku if he emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accusing the former vice-president of repeatedly changing his position on political agreements.
The minister also criticised former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, revisiting promises made during his administration between 2007 and 2015.
He cited commitments on malaria control and other development projects, questioning whether those promises were fulfilled.
Wike further raised allegations over the management of funds during Amaechi’s administration, referring to the findings of a judicial panel of inquiry and subsequent court proceedings.
The allegations formed part of his argument against supporting political figures he accused of failing to fulfil their responsibilities, although the claims were not independently verified during the event.
He maintained that the Rainbow Coalition remained a platform for politicians across party lines to work together in support of Tinubu and the coalition’s candidates in Rivers State.
Wike urged political stakeholders to avoid actions capable of reigniting tension in Rivers State, insisting that the coalition was committed to sustaining peace.
He commended Governor Fubara for personally attending the event and unveiling the coalition’s candidates, describing the governor as a member of the coalition’s political family.
The minister urged political actors to put aside their differences and work together, warning that there would be no room for those determined to create fresh political crises.
According to him, the coalition rejects winner-takes-all politics and instead promotes cooperation among political parties to build a more inclusive political environment.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara, while unveiling the Rainbow Coalition candidates, described the gathering as an opportunity to reunite political allies and work collectively for the development of Rivers State.
Fubara acknowledged Wike’s contribution to his political journey, thanking the former governor and other leaders for their support.
“I’m really happy to be here. Not just being here, standing in the midst of my family. This is my family because I wouldn’t have been the governor of Rivers State if, by the grace of Almighty, I had not passed through my oga and other leaders to make it possible in our dear state,” he said.
He said that despite past political disagreements, leaders owed Rivers State a responsibility to work together for its progress.
“So no matter what has happened, I’m very grateful today that, one way or the other, we are back together for a better cause and for the good of our dear state,” Fubara added.
The governor pledged to work for Tinubu’s victory and ensure that political leadership remained within the bloc represented by the coalition.
He also described the opportunity to unveil the candidates as a privilege and expressed confidence in their chances at the forthcoming elections, saying the gathering reflected renewed unity after months of political tension in the state.
Senator Magnus Abe urged Amaechi to reconsider his reported decision to serve as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate, arguing that such a move contradicted the principle of power rotation between the North and the South.
Abe said the Rainbow Coalition was firmly behind Tinubu as the southern candidate in the presidential race.
He recalled that Amaechi had previously insisted that Nigeria’s stability depended on respecting the rotation of presidential power between the two regions.
According to Abe, it was inconsistent for Amaechi to oppose a southern presidency in the past and now support a northern presidential candidate when it was the South’s turn.
“On behalf of all of us here gathered in Rivers State, we want to call on Amaechi to immediately respect his own position and resign as the vice-presidential candidate to Atiku Abubakar, because it is the turn of the South, and Rivers State will stand by the agreement between the North and the South,” Abe said.
He urged Atiku to respect the power-sharing arrangement, assuring that the Rainbow Coalition would mobilise massive support for Tinubu before declaring his total commitment to the alliance.
Speaking for candidates from six political parties, APC governorship candidate Kingsley Chinda said the coalition was determined to move Rivers State away from divisive politics and embrace collective leadership.
Chinda said the alliance was united by the goal of securing Tinubu’s re-election while promoting peace and development across Rivers State.
He pledged that candidates elected under the coalition would run an inclusive government that reflects the interests of different political parties, genders and religious groups.
“We are going to run a government for the people, that will place the interests of Rivers people first,” Chinda said.
He added that cooperation among coalition members should continue beyond the elections, with all participating parties playing active roles in governance.
Chinda also commended Rivers political leaders for restoring peace and expressed confidence that the alliance would help prevent election-related violence while delivering peaceful polls, a smooth transition and a development-focused administration.
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