Rivers Crisis: Fubara’s Allies Join Wike-backed Coalition

The immediate past Senior Special Assistant to Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Darlington Orji, and a former Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Collins Onunwo, have reportedly joined the Rainbow Coalition in the state.

Naija News understands that the Rainbow Coalition is a bipartisan political alliance spearheaded by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Their decision to join the coalition comes amid fresh political realignments in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The development followed Fubara’s decision to withdraw from the governorship race before the All Progressives Congress primary election.

His withdrawal paved the way for the emergence of House of Representatives member, Kingsley Chinda, as the APC governorship candidate.

The decision, however, reportedly unsettled some of the governor’s allies, who said they had stood by him since the beginning of the prolonged political crisis in the state.

Orji confirmed his move in a post on his Facebook page, where he shared photographs of himself and other members of the coalition.

He wrote that he had “returned home to my family.”

Meanwhile, the Rivers State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has nominated David Amapakaye Okumgba as its deputy governorship candidate for the 2027 governorship election in the state.

The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Chizy Enyi, Naija News reports.

Okumgba will run alongside the ADC governorship candidate, Gabriel Baritulem Pidomson.

The ADC described Okumgba as a seasoned administrator, accomplished businessman and experienced political leader whose commitment to public service and democratic values had earned him respect within and beyond Rivers State.

The party said he had demonstrated exceptional leadership in both the private and political sectors.

According to the statement, Okumgba was nominated because of his political experience, organisational capacity, interpersonal skills and deep understanding of the state’s socio-political landscape.

The party said the Pidomson-Okumgba ticket represented competence, experience and inclusiveness.