By Philip Yatai
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike said on Tuesday that the Rainbow Coalition was initiated to work for the interest of Rivers people in the 2027 elections.
Wike, who made the remarks during a media chat in Abuja, explained that the coalition brought the different political parties to work for the collective interest of the people.
The former Rivers governor explained that the coalition was deliberately designed to move beyond party affiliations by supporting candidates considered most capable of serving the state’s interests.
He noted that although the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the ruling party at the national level, and in Rivers, other parties have good candidates that should be supported for the interest of the people.
“Now, what we have is a situation where the Labor Party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), APC, Action Alliance and we have candidates for House of Assembly, National Assembly from these parties.
“Candidate B appears to be more presentable. So, we’ll choose Candidate B in the Social Democratic Party. Candidate A is more acceptable for this position so we will choose him and so on.
“In the National Assembly, APC cannot win all seats. PDP cannot win all seats, so we will agree together who gets what.
“If APC wins in this place, PDP wins in that place, we are all together for the interest of our state.
“If the coalition candidate we’re going to pick at the end of the day wins, he’s not to be seen as APC/ he will not be seen as PDP. He’s to be seen as a member of the coalition,” he said.
The minister said such an arrangement would work for the benefit of all.
For the presidential seat, the minister said it would be President Bola Tinubu all the way in Rivers and urged opposition politicians to cancel Rivers from their electoral calculations.
He said that the coalition comprising members of all major political parties had resolved to work together in the interest of Rivers while backing Tinubu’s re-election.
“If anybody is counting Rivers, go now and cancel it. The only person that can win in Rivers is Tinubu.
“I’m not talking because I want to talk; I’m talking as a political realist because I know my people.
“The alliance is gaining widespread acceptance across the state and all we are doing is for one purpose – to support Tinubu. It is all-inclusive and it is spreading like wildfire,” he said.
The minister dismissed suggestions that the arrangement was intended to strengthen any particular political party, insisting that the overriding objective was to attract greater development to Rivers.
“For me, what matters is Rivers. If Rivers is relevant because projects are coming and people are benefiting from the government, then I am satisfied.
“It is not about personal ambition; it is about the interest of the state,” he stated.
Wike, who traced his political career from local government chairman to governor, minister and other leadership positions, said his experience had taught him that successful politics requires strategic thinking and an understanding of the people’s expectations.
“I have been in politics since 1999. Nobody can teach me politics or tell me how to navigate it. Politics is about leadership and understanding the interests of your people,” he said. (NAN)
Edited by Yakubu Uba