The Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State has denied claims that it is working with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
This is as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state has declared that no politician in the state can win the forthcoming general elections by boosting and sugar-coating the masses with lies and vain promises.
Publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Hon. Chibuike Ikenga, who spoke on a radio programme monitored in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, described the allegation against the coalition as “deceptive.”
The Rainbow Coalition, founded by the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, is made up of prominent members of the APC, the Labour Party, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Action Alliance (AA), among others.
Ikenga urged the public to disregard what he called ‘misleading claims, pointing out that the coalition remains focused on its political activities ahead of the election.
“All the parties that make up the rainbow coalition are not working with INEC to dictate their internal affairs. We are not part of that. That is their internal affairs and we are not interested in their internal affairs because it is within their purview to so do.
“So for any organisation, particularly ADC to accuse us, that is how far they could go. We have not done it and we are not going to do it. We are not interested. They are laying grounds upon which they will cry so that they can accuse the Independent National Electoral Commission of rigging the election for us because they know that they don’t have the number, they don’t have the supporters,” he said.
The reaction followed concerns raised by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over INEC’s activities in the state, where it accused the commission of working with the Rainbow Coalition to undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Rivers State has declared that no politician in the state can win the forthcoming 2027 elections by boosting and sugar-coating the masses with lies and vain promises.
Reacting to a statement accredited to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike during a civic reception organized in his honour by the City Boy Movement at Omagwa in Ikwerre local government area of the state.
Wike had alleged that the ADC vice presidential candidate, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi would be defeated by 12 noon on election-day, the party said boast does not win election.
The party, in a statement by it’s state chairman, Dr. Chukwudi Dimkpa, said Wike’s boast that he would defeat Amaechi by 12 noon on election-day is even revealing.
“Elections are not won by boasts, intimidation or political strongmen announcing results in advance. Rivers people will vote, the votes will be counted, and INEC, not Wike will declare the winner”, Dimkpa said.
He described the FCT minister’s conduct at Omagwa on Saturday, as a political rascality taken too far.
“On a day when Rotimi Amaechi was burying his mother and people from across Nigeria were travelling to Ubima to commiserate with the family, Wike and the Chairman of Ikwerre local government area (Charles Wobodo) chose that same route and occasion for a political reception, obstructing part of the road, creating unnecessary traffic and then turning the event into a platform for attacking and taunting a man who was mourning his mother. It was insensitive, provocative and embarrassing”, the ADC chairman said.
He said there is always a time for politics and there is a time for humanity, saying that “if Wike could not suspend his political obsession with Amaechi even for the few hours in which the man was laying his mother to rest, then Rivers people should ask themselves who really is consumed by this rivalry.
“We refused to dignify the provocation with a response that day (Saturday) because our attention was on giving Mama (Dame Ezinne Amaechi) a befitting burial. But Wike should understand that Rivers State belongs to all of us.
“Nobody owns the people, nobody owns their votes, and certainly, nobody can declare an election result by 12 noon”, Dimkpa said.
The ADC chairman however called on the Rivers people not to be intimidated by anybody but be prepared to make the right choice in 2027 by electing a credible leader that would add value to their lives,
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