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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said that the political parties under the “Rainbow Coalition” in Rivers State will jointly decide a single governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections, dismissing claims that any aspirant has already secured the ticket.
According to Punch News, Wike made the remarks on Saturday at a luncheon for coalition candidates in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as aired on the Nigerian Television Authority.
He said the coalition, which includes members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP) and Action Alliance (AA), has not concluded arrangements on its governorship flag bearer, stressing that the final decision would be collectively taken.
“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,” the minister said.
The former Rivers State governor also described the coalition as the dominant political structure in the state, insisting that participation in it is essential for anyone seeking elective office.
“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 added.
Wike cautioned against what he called early celebrations by aspirants, warning that such actions could distort the internal consensus-building process within the alliance.
He urged all coalition candidates to continue grassroots mobilisation until a final decision is reached, reiterating that all participating parties remain “acceptable within the arrangement.”
The minister also accused external actors of exploiting political tensions in Rivers State for personal or professional gain, saying the coalition was created to promote unity and development.
“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,” Wike said.
He further criticised smaller political parties, arguing that only major platforms such as the PDP, APC and Labour Party possess the structure to effectively contest elections nationwide.
