Rivers State Minister Nyesom Wike says his “Rainbow Coalition” in Rivers and the FCT is being organised to help President Bola Tinubu win re-election in 2027. Speaking to media and coalition stakeholders in Abuja, Wike argues the initiative is intended to expand support for Tinubu across party lines, and he rejects suggestions it will weaken the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike also links the coalition’s role to prior electoral outcomes, describing how his backing and internal strategy in the 2024 Edo governorship race contributed to APC candidate Monday Okpebholo’s victory over People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Asue Ighodalo. He says he opposed Ighodalo because he viewed the candidacy as an extension of then-governor Godwin Obaseki’s influence.
Across the outlets, the main emphasis is on Wike’s defence of the coalition and his portrayal of it as a practical political mechanism for mobilising supporters and delivering results. While some reporting highlights his dismissal of APC governors’ concerns, other coverage focuses on his account of the behind-the-scenes factors in Edo.
