The political coalition spearheaded by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, may be facing internal challenges in Rivers State following claims that the Labour Party (LP) is not officially represented in the alliance.
Wike had previously clarified that the coalition was formed to support the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027 and was not established as an extension of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to a report by Daily Trust, the coalition in Rivers State comprises members associated with the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party and Action Alliance.
However, some Labour Party chieftains in Rivers State have rejected the arrangement, alleging that individuals being presented as LP representatives are members of the labour movement rather than recognised members of the political party.
Former South-South Zonal Vice Chairman of the Labour Party, Favour Reuben, reportedly said he was not part of the coalition. He also alleged that the Labour Party governorship candidate recognised by the coalition is a PDP member.
The development has fueled questions about the structure and inclusiveness of the coalition as political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections continue.
Political analyst and Ogoni rights activist Celestine Akpobari also criticised the arrangement, arguing that the coalition does not adequately reflect Rivers State’s ethnic and political diversity.
Akpobari questioned the composition of the coalition, noting that several key political positions and candidates associated with the alliance are occupied by people from the Ikwerre ethnic nationality.
“I have never seen a rainbow with one colour,” he said, questioning where the representation of other ethnic groups fits into the coalition.
He further argued that if political power were to shift from Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is from Rivers South-East, the Ogoni people should be considered, given what he described as their lack of representation in several major political offices in the state.
Meanwhile, a Rivers APC chieftain and member of the coalition, who spoke anonymously, claimed that the alliance has already established a strong political structure across the state.
According to the APC source, local government chairmen and ward councillors are already aligned with the coalition, while Governor Fubara and some of his supporters have also returned to the political arrangement.
The source therefore questioned which political forces remained outside the coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Despite the criticism, former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide and 2023 Labour Party governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Udengs Eradiri, described Wike’s Rainbow Coalition as a significant political asset for President Tinubu.
Eradiri argued that the coalition cuts across different political interests and should be viewed as an advantage to Tinubu’s re-election campaign rather than a threat to APC governors.
He said the coalition was established primarily to support the President and not to advance the political ambitions of individual governors.
With political alignments continuing to shift ahead of 2027, the dispute over who legitimately represents the Labour Party within Wike’s Rainbow Coalition could become an important issue in determining the coalition’s structure and reach in Rivers State.