The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said the four political parties under the “Rainbow Coalition” in Rivers State will jointly agree on a single governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike said the coalition, comprising the Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, Labour Party and Action Alliance, had not yet chosen any governorship flagbearer for the state.
He spoke on Saturday at a luncheon organised for coalition candidates in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to him, although candidates have emerged from the different parties within the coalition, no individual has been selected as the unified governorship candidate of the alliance.
“The Rainbow Coalition, we have not chosen who will be the governor of Rivers State. But we have party candidates who have emerged under the Rainbow Coalition. The only decision we have taken is that we are going to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Wike said.
The former Rivers State governor dismissed speculation that any aspirant had already secured the coalition’s support, warning against premature victory celebrations.
He said such claims could create a false impression and undermine the coalition process.
Wike urged candidates across the four parties to continue their grassroots mobilisation until the coalition formally meets and takes a final decision on who to support for the governorship election.
He also described the Rainbow Coalition as the dominant political arrangement in Rivers State, saying anyone seeking elective office in the state must align with it.
“If you want to be important in the politics of Rivers State, come and join the Rainbow Coalition. If you want to be governor, come here.
“If you want to be senator, come here. If you want House of Reps, come here. If you want Assembly, come here. If you want local government, come here. You must come. If you don’t come, you cannot get it.
“You must come here. Everybody here, whether you are APC, whether you are PDP, whether you are in Labour, whether you are AA, you are all okay for the state,” he said.
Wike said the coalition was formed to promote unity and development in Rivers State irrespective of party differences.
He accused some activists, commentators and media organisations of exploiting Rivers State’s political tensions for personal or institutional gain, saying the coalition was designed to end that pattern.
“God said no, we must come together as a people, irrespective of our political leanings. What is important is that we must talk about the development of our state. We must talk about the unity of our state,” he said.
The FCT Minister also criticised smaller political parties, including the African Democratic Congress, arguing that political noise and defections are not substitutes for real electoral structure.
According to him, only the PDP, APC and Labour Party have demonstrated the capacity to prosecute serious statewide and national elections across Nigeria.
Wike maintained that the coalition’s immediate agreed position is support for President Tinubu, while the decision on Rivers governorship will be taken collectively by the coalition leadership at the appropriate time.
