By James Adamu
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has thrown his weight behind the Rainbow Coalition, endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term, and named Kingsley Chinda as his preferred choice for governor in the upcoming state election.
The governor made this known on Wednesday while speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Rivien Medical Industry project located in Rumuosi, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Speaking during the event, Fubara confirmed that hostilities between political factions in the state have been laid to rest. He made it clear that he is fully aligned with the coalition backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
“We have made peace in the state. And I am supporting our rainbow party, or rainbow coalition,” Fubara declared.
On the presidential contest, the governor left no room for ambiguity, stating, “President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is our president, and he’s the one we are supporting.”
Turning his attention to the governorship race, Fubara explicitly endorsed the candidate flying the coalition’s flag. “Oke Chinda is the governorship candidate that I am supporting. And anybody who believes in me will support every candidate that is under the rainbow,” he said.
The governor also used the platform to appeal directly to his loyalists who may be hesitant to join the coalition without securing personal benefits. He urged them to abandon such expectations and rally behind the new political arrangement, noting that he has already reconciled with Wike’s camp.
“For those of you who are saying, ‘Fubara, let’s stay, we want to collect something before we run,’ there is nothing to collect,” he said.
“I am already in the family. I’ve gone back to our family. So please, wherever you are, give your total support to that coalition.”
Fubara stressed the importance of moving past the era of conflict and embracing unity, insisting that peace would bring greater rewards than the strife that had previously divided the state.
“We need to move forward. The time of war is over; it’s time of peace. And this peace is taking us to another level. What you lose here, you’ll gain in another place. That is about life,” he remarked.
The governor also issued a stern warning to supporters against using his name to promote any political activities outside the coalition. He made it clear that his position is fixed and that he would not tolerate any actions that could reignite division.
“So please, I want this to be made clear to everybody. Don’t go anywhere and say you are supporting Fubara, Fubara. No, no, no,” he cautioned.
“My position is this, and I’ve said it here clearly for everyone to hear. If you are not hearing well, use cotton wool or open your ear and let it enter well,” he added.
“I am not party to anything that will bring any form of disunity in this state. I’ve done what I need to do. For now, we are moving forward,” Fubara concluded.
His latest remarks come months after he stepped down from the All Progressives Congress primaries in May 2026, a decision he attributed to thorough reflection and broad consultations.
That move followed a public reconciliation with Wike after a protracted political crisis that had deeply divided Rivers State.
The Rainbow Coalition, which Fubara has now aligned with, is a broad political alliance bringing together APC loyalists, breakaway factions of the Peoples Democratic Party, and other political groups rallying behind President Tinubu’s leadership.
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