Chinda kicks off campaign

The Rivers State chapter of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) has denied being part of the Rainbow Coalition, an emerging political alliance reportedly associated with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
 
The party, which made the clarification while flagging off its 2027 governorship campaign in Port Harcourt, also promised to create 500,000 direct and indirect jobs and empowerment opportunities within its first year in office if elected.
 
The ADP governorship candidate, Angel Lawson, said he entered the race to provide an alternative form of political leadership and to give residents a greater sense of inclusion and economic empowerment.
 
Lawson said his administration, if elected, would prioritise addressing unemployment in the state, despite its status as one of Nigeria’s major oil-producing states and its abundant natural resources.
 
He expressed concern about the unemployment situation, citing a figure from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which put Rivers State’s unemployment rate at 62.4 per cent in 2022.

According to him, the situation had contributed to the worsening economic hardship and multidimensional poverty experienced by many residents.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers, Kingsley Chinda, has pledged to serve the state “with the fear of God and mankind” if elected.
 
Chinda, an ally of Wike, made the pledge in a post on X, where he shared a flyer to officially kick-start his campaign for the next election.
 
“We will serve Rivers State with the fear of God and love for mankind,” he wrote.
 
His post came as campaigns for the governorship and state houses of assembly elections across the country officially commenced in line with the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
 
Chinda, a former minority leader of the green chamber and the sole contestant, was declared winner of the APC governorship primary in May after Siminalayi Fubara, the incumbent governor, withdrew from the race.
 
Fubara was initially screened alongside Chinda for the APC primary but later stepped down, saying he made the decision out of conviction and in the interest of the state’s peace and unity.