The Rainbow Coalition, founded by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, may face challenges after a party disowned the arrangement.
Naija News reports that Wike earlier said the coalition supports the re-election of President Bola Tinubu, not the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to a report by Daily Trust, the coalition comprises the APC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party, and Action Alliance in Rivers.
However, LP chieftains in Rivers State say the coalition is dealing with people who are not Labour Party members but belong to the Labour Union, insisting the authentic LP in Rivers is not represented in the coalition.
Former South-South Zonal Vice Chairman of LP, Favour Reuben, told the aforementioned publication that he is not part of the coalition, alleging that the LP governorship candidate recognised by the coalition is a PDP member.
Political analyst and Ogoni rights activist Celestine Akpobari also criticised the coalition as non-inclusive, saying it favours only Ikwerre ethnic nationality.
“I have never seen a rainbow with one colour. APC chairman is Ikwerre, PDP chairman is Ikwerre, governorship candidates of APC, PDP and Labour are all Ikwerre. Where is the rainbow?” he queried.
He argued that if power is taken from Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is from Rivers South-East, it should go to Ogoni people who have never produced a governor, deputy governor, Speaker or Chief Judge.
“A rainbow coalition cannot have one colour,” he said, describing the situation as dictatorship.
A Rivers APC chieftain and coalition member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the alliance has already taken control of the state.
“All the local government chairmen are members of this coalition, councillors in all the wards are members, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his supporters have returned to the coalition. Who are the people remaining in other parties that bragged about taking over Rivers in 2027?
Former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide and 2023 Labour Party governorship candidate in Bayelsa, Udengs Eradiri, however, described Wike’s Rainbow Coalition as a major asset capable of delivering bulk votes for Tinubu in 2027.
Eradiri said the coalition cuts across political interests and should be seen as an added advantage to Tinubu’s re-election, not a threat to APC governors.
