A cross-party Rivers coalition led by Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike endorsed President Bola Tinubu for 2027 at an Oct. 27 event, pairing the bid with candidate picks from two parties.
At the gathering in Port Harcourt, the coalition put forward Kingsley Chinda and Major Jack for governor and deputy governor, respectively, on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform, Premium Times and Channels Television reported. Its Senate slate included Felix Amaechi Obua for Rivers West and Olaka Johnson Nwogu for Rivers South-East; the reports identified Nwogu with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Channels Television said the alliance also selected 13 House of Representatives candidates and 32 state assembly candidates.
Rivers State Gov. Siminalayi Fubara attended and pledged to work for a coalition victory, Premium Times reported. He credited Tinubu with supporting him during a difficult period. Channels Television described the gathering as a reunion of political allies after a crisis had divided the group and reported that Fubara urged members to set leadership differences aside.
Wike described the coalition as a way to “bring people together from all the political parties” behind Tinubu, according to Premium Times. Chinda said members were “no longer divided on party lines,” the paper reported.
The slate links support for Tinubu’s presidential bid to candidates running under different party platforms. Wike had urged Rainbow Coalition youths on Oct. 20 to back Tinubu’s 2027 bid, an appeal reported by Voice of Nigeria and TVC News. EconoTimes previously covered Wike’s related appeal to Rivers coalition youths. Wike also said Tinubu was expected in Rivers on Nov. 7, Premium Times reported.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lists the presidential and National Assembly elections for Jan. 16, 2027, followed by governorship and State House of Assembly elections on Feb. 6.
