Issues, not coalition will decide elections, stakeholders say

The Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State, led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has denied allegations that it was planning state capture against the people of the state.

The coalition’s spokesman, Chibuike Ikenga, made this rebuttal during an interview on Arise Television yesterday.

Ikenga said the coalition is framed as a strategic effort to prioritise the interests of the Rivers’ people through good governance, transparency and accountability.

“You saw what has happened recently. You also saw yesterday’s video trending online, in which the Labour Party (LP) had joined the Rainbow Coalition.

“This shows the leadership that the FCT Minister is putting together in the larger interest of Rivers people.

“So, we want to discountenance the state capture narrative. We are all Rivers people. We are interested in the interests of the state, which are good governance, free, fair, and credible elections, transparency, and accountability. That’s what we are pursuing, as against the shenanigans that they were doing,” he said.

Meanwhile, despite the growing political alignment and realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections in Rivers State, stakeholders have stated that the impact of political parties and candidates will determine the decisions at the polls, not a coalition without a strong connection with the grassroots.

The stakeholders, who spoke against the backdrop of the recent political realignments in the state, said the outcome of the 2027 elections would be largely determined by issues affecting the people, including hardship, flooding, poor road infrastructure, and other socio-economic challenges.

They noted that the current political developments could have a limited impact if various political actors failed to reconnect with the electorate and address issues that directly affect their daily lives.

Speaking in an interview, Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Sunny Dada, questioned the grassroots strength of politicians involved in the coalition.

Dada asked: “What is their connection to the grassroots, and what is the level of their followership? Are they people who can move with crowds to their new destinations, or are they only moving by themselves?

“I do not think such realignments will necessarily alter the political equation in the state.”

He said issues that could shape the 2027 elections went beyond the current political alignments, noting that hardship and public dissatisfaction could influence voters’ decisions.