2027: Fubara Backs Rainbow Coalition, Promises Tinubu Three Million Votes in Rivers State

2027: Fubara Backs Rainbow Coalition, Promises Tinubu Three Million Votes in Rivers StateRivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has pledged to mobilise no fewer than three million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, declaring his commitment to the President’s second-term ambition and the political activities of the APC-PDP Rainbow Coalition. The governor made the declaration on Saturday, November 7, 2026, during Tinubu’s presidential campaign rally at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Fubara assured the President that Rivers State would work towards delivering a decisive electoral victory for him, stressing that the political leadership in the state had reached an understanding to support the coalition’s candidates across different elective positions. His declaration represents another significant development in the unfolding political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking before the President and other political stakeholders at the rally, Fubara attributed the coalition’s mobilisation efforts to the leadership and political direction of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who coordinates the Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State. According to the governor, the state would work under Wike’s guidance to ensure that Tinubu receives at least three million votes when Nigerians head to the polls in January 2027. He declared that the coalition would not merely make political promises but would embark on extensive grassroots mobilisation to translate its commitment into electoral support. Fubara’s remarks were particularly significant because they publicly reinforced the political understanding between him and Wike after their prolonged disagreement, which had previously created considerable uncertainty within the state’s political establishment.

The governor also explained that the political arrangement in Rivers State would accommodate candidates from both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the Rainbow Coalition. He maintained that despite the different political affiliations of the candidates, members of the coalition had agreed to work together towards a common electoral objective. Fubara assured Tinubu that the coalition’s preferred candidates would receive the necessary political support and that the arrangement would be sustained until the elections. His declaration underscores the unusual nature of the Rainbow Coalition, which seeks to bring politicians from different political parties together under a common political understanding rather than allowing traditional party divisions to determine every electoral contest.

The emergence of the Rainbow Coalition is closely connected to the reconciliation between Fubara and Wike following the political crisis that engulfed Rivers State shortly after Fubara assumed office in May 2023. What began as a disagreement between the governor and his predecessor gradually developed into a major political confrontation involving the Rivers State House of Assembly, competing political interests and questions surrounding control of the state’s political structure. The crisis generated considerable tension within the state and attracted national attention, particularly after President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State in March 2025. The intervention resulted in the suspension of the governor, his deputy and members of the State House of Assembly for six months. Fubara eventually returned to office in September 2025, following the expiration of the suspension period.

However, the political atmosphere appears to have taken a different direction following renewed reconciliation efforts between the two political figures. In October 2026, Fubara publicly acknowledged Wike as the leader of the Rainbow Coalition and urged his supporters to abandon factional divisions in favour of a united political front. The governor described his return to the political family as an important development, acknowledging the role Wike and other political leaders played in his emergence as governor. He also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his intervention during the period of political uncertainty in Rivers State. These developments have gradually reshaped the political conversation in the state, with former political rivals now presenting a united front ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

The Rainbow Coalition has also unveiled its preferred candidates for the 2027 elections, with different political parties represented in its proposed electoral arrangement. Among the prominent figures associated with the coalition is Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, who was presented as its preferred governorship candidate in Rivers State. The arrangement also accommodates other candidates from different political parties seeking elective positions in the National Assembly and State House of Assembly. At the unveiling ceremony held at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt, Fubara presented flags to the coalition’s candidates and urged supporters to embrace the political understanding. The coalition’s leadership has maintained that its objective is to consolidate political cooperation and secure electoral support for its adopted candidates.

Meanwhile, Wike has continued to play a prominent role in coordinating the political activities of the coalition and mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election campaign. Speaking at Saturday’s rally, the FCT Minister maintained that Rivers State was prepared to support the President, pointing to the large turnout at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium as evidence of the mobilisation efforts. The Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, also challenged the state to deliver at least 2.3 million votes for Tinubu, citing the state’s voter population. His projection came alongside Fubara’s more ambitious pledge of three million votes, illustrating the expectations being placed on Rivers State’s political machinery ahead of the presidential election.

Nevertheless, the Rainbow Coalition’s cross-party arrangement is not without political complications. Its approach has generated disagreements within sections of the APC, particularly among party members who believe that the party should maintain loyalty to its candidates at every level of government. The coalition, however, operates on a different understanding, allowing members of different political parties to support Tinubu for president while backing candidates from other parties in governorship and legislative elections. This arrangement raises important questions about party discipline, political loyalty and the extent to which individual political interests can coexist within a broader electoral alliance. It also demonstrates the increasing significance of political coalitions in Nigeria’s electoral environment, where alliances sometimes extend beyond traditional party boundaries.

Beyond the political calculations, Fubara’s three-million-vote pledge places considerable responsibility on the coalition’s grassroots mobilisation structure. Delivering such a figure would require more than public declarations at campaign rallies. It would involve sustained engagement with voters across the state’s 23 local government areas, effective coordination of ward and polling-unit structures, voter education and the mobilisation of supporters who are willing to participate in the electoral process. Fubara himself acknowledged this responsibility when he urged supporters to return to their respective wards and units to commence the mobilisation exercise. His statement that the promised votes would not come by sitting at home reflects the importance of grassroots political organisation in translating campaign commitments into actual votes. Ultimately, the electoral process, rather than the size of campaign crowds or political promises, will determine the level of support received by the candidates.

Tinubu’s visit to Rivers State formed part of his political engagements ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The President arrived in Port Harcourt following his engagements in Akwa Ibom State, where he commissioned projects executed by Governor Umo Eno’s administration. His appearance at the Rivers rally provided an opportunity for the coalition’s leading political figures to publicly reaffirm their support for his second-term ambition. The gathering also offered a platform for Fubara and Wike to demonstrate their renewed political cooperation before a national audience. Tinubu subsequently acknowledged the reconciliation between the two Rivers political leaders, commending their decision to embrace peace and political understanding.

As the 2027 general elections approach, Fubara’s promise of three million votes introduces another important dimension to the political contest in Rivers State. His declaration signals a renewed alliance involving the governor, Wike and other political stakeholders operating under the Rainbow Coalition, with Tinubu’s re-election ambition occupying a central position in their political arrangement. However, the actual delivery of the promised votes will depend on several factors, including the coalition’s ability to maintain internal unity, resolve disagreements among its political members and sustain its grassroots mobilisation efforts. Beyond the political enthusiasm surrounding Saturday’s rally, the ultimate test will be the decisions of Rivers voters at the ballot box. In a democratic society, political promises may generate headlines, but it is the electorate that possesses the constitutional authority to determine electoral outcomes.SEO Title: Fubara Promises Tinubu 3 Million Votes in 2027, Backs APC-PDP Rainbow CoalitionFocus Keyphrase: Fubara promises Tinubu 3 million votesTags: Siminalayi Fubara, Bola Tinubu, Nyesom Wike, 2027 Elections, Rainbow Coalition, Rivers State Politics, APC, PDP, Nigerian Politics, Presidential Election 2027.