Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state has declared support for President Bola Tinubu and the Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This was just as he named Kingsley Chinda of All Progressive Congress as his preferred candidate for the state governorship.
Fubara said the decision followed efforts to restore peace in Rivers State, insisting that the period of political conflict was over and that residents should focus on moving the state forward.
The governor stated his position in a video posted on X, where he urged his supporters to back the coalition and its candidates rather than rally behind him personally.
“We have made peace in the state and I am supporting the Rainbow Coalition. President Bola Tinubu is our president and is the one that we are supporting,” he said.
“Chinda is the governorship candidate that I am supporting and everybody who believes in me will support.”
Fubara also urged his supporters to abandon expectations of receiving personal benefits before backing the coalition, saying he had returned to his political family.
“And for those of you who are saying Fubara, we want to collect something before we run, there is nothing to collect, I have gone back to our family, so please wherever you are give your total support to that coalition,” he said.
The governor added that he would not support any political arrangement capable of undermining the state, stressing that peace was necessary for Rivers State to make progress.
“I have done what I need to do and for now we are moving forward,” he said.
Fubara’s declaration comes as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, intensifies his criticism of opposition politicians while reaffirming his support for Tinubu and the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Saturday at a town hall meeting with stakeholders in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, Wike took aim at Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), questioning his leadership capacity and record in office as governor of Anambra State.
Wike described Obi as a popular social media figure but argued that his online following did not demonstrate his ability to govern Nigeria.
“Truly speaking, I gave him president of social media. If you were to vote who will be president of social media, I will vote for him. But if it is to govern Nigeria, it capital no!” the minister said.
He also mocked Obi’s personal frugality, questioning why the former Anambra governor did not employ a personal assistant to carry his bag.
“As a former Governor, you cannot be stingy not to have employed a Personal Assistant who will carry your bag. You want to show you carry your bag. We don’t want such a stingy person as a president,” Wike said.
The minister further challenged Obi’s record as Anambra governor, urging voters to assess his administration against the performance of the incumbent governor, Chukwuma Soludo.
Wike also criticised politicians who leave political parties during internal disputes, arguing that leaders should confront challenges rather than abandon their parties.
“How will you solve the problem of the country? Did you see when there was a problem in PDP? Did I run? I defeated them,” he said.
Turning to Rivers State, Wike criticised projects undertaken by the previous state administration, alleging that substantial public funds had been spent on projects that failed to deliver the promised results.
He claimed that $39 million was spent on the proposed 1,000-bed Justice Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital, alleging that the project had not reached the foundation stage.
“Thirty-nine million US dollars, 53 billion naira, gone! As I speak to you, there’s no foundation, no one block laid,” he said.
Wike also questioned the value of the state’s monorail project, alleging that about N60 billion had been spent on it while its functionality and benefits to residents remained in doubt.
On the sale of a gas turbine, the minister alleged that the transaction was worth $308 million and that only $308,000 remained in the relevant state account when he assumed office in May 2015.
He further recalled a proposal to spend $10 million on fumigating Rivers State to tackle mosquito bites, questioning the rationale for the proposed expenditure.
Wike urged voters to examine the records of politicians seeking public office rather than rely solely on their campaign promises.
Reaffirming his support for Tinubu and the APC, the minister said he believed the ruling party was the political platform he would support in the 2027 presidential election.
He explained that the Rainbow Coalition brought together politicians from different parties in Rivers State to reduce political divisions and violence, despite their plans to contest elections under different party platforms.
“Under a Rainbow Coalition, that’s why in our state today, you see APC, PDP, all of us. No more Rivers of blood, no more shooting, not many people going to die,” Wike said.
The minister announced that the coalition would unveil its candidates on Tuesday, October 27, naming Kingsley Chinda as its preferred candidate for the Rivers State governorship election.
He also disclosed candidates for other elective positions, indicating that some would contest under the APC despite the coalition’s cross-party membership.
