Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has openly declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid, aligning himself with the Rainbow Coalition championed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, while endorsing Kingsley Chinda as his preferred candidate for the 2027 Rivers State governorship election.
The governor made the declaration during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Rivien Medical Industry project in Rumuosi, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, where he announced that the political differences that once divided Rivers had been resolved.
Addressing supporters at the event, Fubara said he had reunited with his former political family and urged his loyalists to embrace the Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party alliance spearheaded by Wike to consolidate political support for President Tinubu and coordinate electoral victories in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, Tinubu remains the leader everyone should support, stressing that the coalition now represents the collective political direction of the state.
He also publicly endorsed Kingsley Chinda as the governorship candidate he would support, calling on all those who identify with his leadership to rally behind Chinda and every other candidate presented by the Rainbow Coalition.
Fubara dismissed suggestions that his supporters should remain outside the coalition in anticipation of political rewards, insisting that there was nothing to negotiate.
Declaring that he had already returned to his political family, the governor urged everyone to fully identify with the coalition and work towards sustaining peace and political stability in the state.
He maintained that the era of political confrontation was over, saying Rivers State must now focus on reconciliation and development rather than prolonged conflict.
Fubara further warned politicians against invoking his name to promote any political agenda outside the Rainbow Coalition, making it clear that his allegiance now lies completely with the alliance.
He stressed that he would not support any movement capable of creating fresh divisions in Rivers State, adding that his priority is to move the state forward in an atmosphere of unity.
The governor’s remarks represent his clearest public alignment with Wike since both leaders embarked on reconciliation following their prolonged political feud.
The rivalry between Fubara and his predecessor had dominated Rivers politics since 2023, leading to deep divisions within the state’s political structure and the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The crisis eventually prompted President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State in March 2025.
However, both camps have in recent months repeatedly expressed commitment to peace, with Fubara’s latest declaration confirming his full integration into the Wike-led political bloc as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections intensify.
