2027: Fubara Warns Against ‘Political Double-Dealing’ In Rivers

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has warned against political double-dealing among members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Rainbow Coalition, urging them to demonstrate genuine loyalty and commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Fubara gave the warning on Thursday in Port Harcourt during the inauguration of the APC Presidential and Rainbow Coalition Campaign Council, inaugurated by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The governor said the political structure was designed to secure more votes for Tinubu in Rivers State in 2027 than the state delivered in the 2023 presidential election.

He urged members of the council to embrace unity, teamwork and sincerity, warning against those who might publicly identify with the campaign while pursuing different political interests privately.

“I also cautioned against political double-dealing, stressing that our loyalty and commitment must be sincere, both in public and in private,” Fubara said.

He expressed confidence that a broader and more inclusive political structure would improve the coalition’s electoral performance, insisting that members must work together to achieve their common objective.

The inauguration represents a significant political development in Rivers State, particularly against the background of the prolonged disagreement between Fubara and Wike, his predecessor, who played a key role in his emergence as governor in 2023.

Their relationship deteriorated months after Fubara assumed office in May 2023, triggering a political crisis that divided the State House of Assembly and eventually led to President Tinubu declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State in March 2025.

The crisis resulted in the suspension of Fubara, his deputy and lawmakers for six months.
However, following presidential intervention, Wike and Fubara announced a reconciliation in June 2025, with the governor subsequently declaring that they had agreed to bury the hatchet.

Fubara later defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in December 2025, formalising his membership of the ruling party.

The Rainbow Coalition, initiated by Wike, subsequently emerged as a cross-party political alliance bringing together politicians from different parties to mobilise support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

Fubara formally declared support for the coalition in July 2026, signalling a further consolidation of the reconciliation between the two political leaders.

The latest inauguration brings their political camps together under a common presidential campaign structure ahead of the 2027 elections.