A prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, Chief Samson Chukwu Nnamani, has expressed support for the Rainbow Coalition led by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. Nnamani argues that backing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid should not be limited to All Progressives Congress (APC) members. He believes this endeavour should be viewed as a national project that transcends party lines.
Nnamani's comments come in response to the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), chaired by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, which stated that APC governors would not support any arrangement that could undermine President Tinubu's re-election or weaken the APC. The PGF's position was in direct opposition to Wike's Rainbow Coalition, which aims to mobilise support for Tinubu's re-election across party lines. Nnamani, however, disagrees with the PGF's stance.
According to Nnamani, supporting Tinubu for president does not require individuals to abandon their political parties or refuse to support their candidates in other elections. He cited the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which guarantees freedom of expression and association. Nnamani believes that politicians should be able to make different choices at different levels of an election, as provided for in the Constitution.
Nnamani also urged APC governors to differentiate between support for a presidential candidate and partisan contests for other elective positions. He argued that the Rainbow Coalition should be seen as a presidential mobilisation platform, rather than a merger or defection arrangement. This, he believes, would allow politicians to support Tinubu's re-election without compromising their party affiliations.
Wike had earlier clarified that the Rainbow Coalition was a platform for politicians from other parties who support Tinubu's re-election and has nothing to do with the APC. He maintained that the PDP and other parties remain free to field candidates for governorship and legislative elections in 2027. Nnamani recalled that Wike and other members of the G5 governors had supported Tinubu's presidential bid in the 2023 election while remaining PDP members.
Nnamani defended Wike, stating that the FCT minister had never presented the Rainbow Coalition as an APC structure or a mechanism for taking over the ruling party. Instead, Wike described it as a coalition of politicians and stakeholders who share a common goal of supporting Tinubu's re-election. Nnamani believes that this distinction is crucial in understanding the nature and objectives of the Rainbow Coalition.
The development has sparked a fresh debate about the nature of political alliances and party affiliations in Nigeria. As politicians and stakeholders continue to weigh in on the issue, it remains to be seen how the Rainbow Coalition and similar initiatives will shape the country's political landscape in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.
Key points
- PDP chieftain Samson Chukwu Nnamani supports Nyesom Wike's Rainbow Coalition.
- Nnamani faults APC governors' opposition to the coalition.
- The coalition aims to mobilise support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid.
