On October 27, 2026, the Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party political platform, was formally launched at the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The coalition was cobbled by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with the aim of dominating the politics of Rivers State and other states. The launch has raised concerns among various groups due to Wike's antecedents and his war of attrition against perceived opponents.
The coalition's launch was preceded by a period of intense politicking, marked by Wike's conflict with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Fubara, a prime victim of Wike's attrition campaign, eventually capitulated and aligned with the Rainbow Coalition. This development has sparked questions about the implications of the coalition for the future of Rivers State, with many observers seeing it as Wike's attempt to impose his agenda on the state.
A major concern is that the Rainbow Coalition appears to be an imposition of an incongruous political platform, seen by many as Wike's fourth term agenda. Wike served two terms as governor of Rivers State between 2015 and 2023 and is restricted by the constitution from serving a third term. He had manipulated Fubara into office, intending for him to be a mere placeholder while exercising real power. Fubara's reluctance to act as a placeholder led to a crisis between them.
The Rainbow Coalition has positioned governorship candidates, Kingsley Chinda of the APC and Sam Ejekwu of the PDP, both from Wike's Ikwerre ethnic group. This move has raised concerns that one of them will win and serve as an enabler of Wike's fourth term agenda. The coalition's evolution has been likened to the fable of the fox that lost its tail and advocated for a new wisdom in living without a tail.
The political history of Rivers State emphasizes the importance of ethnic harmony among constituent groups, guaranteed by rotating the office of governor between the upland and riverine components. The Rainbow Coalition has disrupted this arrangement, sparking growing reservations among communities in Rivers State. The coalition's mission appears to prioritize consolidating Rivers State votes for President Tinubu's re-election bid over addressing the state's development challenges.
The history of the Rainbow Coalition suggests it is a consolidation of Wike's grip on Rivers State as a base for an eventual return to another contest for the nation's presidency. Wike's failed bid for the presidency in 2022 and his subsequent vengeful fight-back against the PDP, as well as his joining forces with APC candidate Bola Tinubu, are well recalled. The political future of Rivers State now stands at a crossroads, with concerns about allowing Wike to determine who governs the state.
The future of Rivers State will be better served with an unfettered political space, which can be spawned with the forthcoming 2027 general polls. The Wike dispensation through the Rainbow Coalition has shot itself in the foot with its inclination towards restricting the democratic space. The African proverb that only a child with compromised appreciation of their ancestry points to their parents' grave with the left hand seems apt in this situation.
Key points
- The Rainbow Coalition has raised concerns about Nyesom Wike's political ambitions and the potential implications for Rivers State's future.
- The coalition's mission appears to prioritize consolidating Rivers State votes for President Tinubu's re-election bid over addressing the state's development challenges.
- The political future of Rivers State stands at a crossroads, with concerns about allowing Wike to determine who governs the state.
