Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has pledged to deliver at least three million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, assuring him of massive support from the state through the Rainbow Coalition.
Fubara made the commitment on Saturday during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally held at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The governor said Rivers would reciprocate Tinubu’s intervention during the state’s political crisis by supporting his re-election bid.
According to him, the President stood by Rivers State during a difficult period, helping to restore political stability and ensure the continuation of his administration.
“Mr President, we all know that a good gesture calls for reciprocity. As you have stood for us, we will stand for you. As you have supported Rivers State, Rivers State will support you equally,” Fubara said.
He assured Tinubu that his administration would deploy its grassroots political structures to mobilise voters across the state.
“We will campaign, mobilise our people to secure and deliver a decisive victory with a vote not less than three million for Mr President,” he added.
Fubara, however, explained that the political alliance in Rivers State would operate beyond party lines, noting that the Rainbow Coalition would bring together different political interests ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Notwithstanding that I am an APC member, we are doing Rainbow Coalition. And in Rainbow Coalition, we have a slate,” he said.
The rally also provided an opportunity for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to reaffirm his commitment to Tinubu’s re-election and launch fresh attacks on former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
Wike declared that political stakeholders and parties in Rivers had united behind Tinubu, insisting that the impressive turnout at the rally reflected the strength of the coalition.
He maintained that the gathering was organised by political stakeholders in the state without importing supporters from other states.
“We did not mobilise anybody from any other state,” he said.
The FCT minister also challenged Amaechi to account for projects he allegedly abandoned during his tenure as governor, particularly the proposed Caribbean White Specialist Hospital.
Wike alleged that $39 million was spent on the project without any visible foundation.
“Come and show us where Caribbean White Specialist Hospital is, where we paid 39 million US dollars. Come and show us where the foundation is,” he challenged.
He equally questioned the effectiveness of the malaria eradication programme undertaken during Amaechi’s administration, asking whether the exercise had succeeded in eliminating mosquitoes from the state.
On the Port Harcourt monorail project, Wike also questioned whether the former governor completed the project before leaving office.
He further criticised Amaechi’s political record, particularly his involvement in the APC presidential campaigns of 2015 and 2019, arguing that he failed to deliver significant electoral support for the party.
Wike urged Rivers residents to support Tinubu, citing federal infrastructure projects and political appointments involving indigenes of the state as evidence of the President’s commitment to Rivers.
Among the projects he highlighted were the Bori-Bodo Road, Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and the Federal University of Marine Technology.
President Tinubu, in his remarks, thanked Rivers residents for their support during the 2023 presidential election and appealed for their renewed backing in 2027.
He recalled the contribution of the state to his emergence as President, urging the people to give him another mandate.
“Give me the mandate. The mandate that I use to govern today, you are a positive contributor. I must thank you for going out there to vote,” Tinubu said.
The President also defended his administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange system, insisting that Nigeria was gradually moving towards economic recovery.
He claimed that 27 of the 36 states were unable to pay workers’ salaries when he assumed office but maintained that his policies had helped reverse the situation.
Tinubu urged Nigerians to remain patient with the reforms, adding that outstanding pensions and gratuities were being paid to retired workers.
He also commended Fubara for maintaining peace during the political crisis in Rivers State, describing his response to the intervention as a demonstration of maturity and respect for leadership.
The President further urged young Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the 2027 general election.
“This election is about you. It is not about me. Your future depends on this election,” he said.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima also canvassed support for Tinubu’s re-election, arguing that the administration needed another four years to consolidate its economic reforms.
Shettima defended the removal of fuel subsidy and the foreign exchange reforms, claiming that Nigeria’s foreign reserves had improved significantly.
He also projected that the country could attain a $1 trillion economy within the next five to 10 years.
Similarly, Senate President Godswill Akpabio expressed confidence that Rivers State would support Tinubu in 2027, commending Wike for his role in the political mobilisation.
Former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, also defended the President’s economic policies, saying a second term would focus on employment generation, security, agriculture, transportation and infrastructure development.
The rally attracted APC leaders, governors, political stakeholders and supporters as the party intensified its mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general election.
