A former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche, has described the Rainbow Coalition championed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as a political masterstroke capable of expanding President Bola Tinubu’s support base ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Mr Nwuche, who is also chairman of the South-South Development Commission, commended Mr Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, for what he described as courage, political sagacity, and innovation in initiating the coalition.
|
|
In a statement on Monday, the former deputy speaker said the coalition had created a political bridge across party lines, allowing politicians and other stakeholders in opposition parties to support Mr Tinubu’s re-election without necessarily leaving their parties.
“The Rainbow Coalition is a political masterstroke. It has created leeway and an important political opening that allows individuals and groups who may belong to opposition parties to support the President’s re-election without necessarily having to abandon their political parties,” he said.
|
|
|
|---|
Mr Nwuche rejected suggestions that the coalition could undermine Mr Tinubu’s chances in 2027, arguing that an expansion of the president’s political base would strengthen his electoral prospects.
“Those suggesting that bringing more Nigerians into President Tinubu’s support base will weaken his chances in 2027 fundamentally misunderstand how political coalitions work,” he said.
“Every additional constituency, political stakeholder, or community that identifies with the President’s interest strengthens, rather than weakens, his electoral prospects.”
Rivers politics
Mr Nwuche also dismissed claims that the coalition had created confusion over the political direction of Rivers State, saying there was no uncertainty over its choice of governorship candidate.
“There is no confusion or uncertainty whatsoever over the choice of the coalition’s consensus governorship candidate in Rivers State,” he said.
He said members of the coalition would work to secure votes for Mr Tinubu, the governorship candidate and candidates for the National and State Assemblies in the 2027 elections.
Mr Nwuche said the coalition would adopt a similar approach across other states, describing its emergence as a “big plus” to Mr Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He also called on members of the All Progressives Congress opposed to the coalition to channel their efforts towards mobilising support for the president rather than attacking Mr Wike and the coalition.
According to him, the focus should be on securing votes at the polling unit, ward, local government and state levels.
Nwuche asks Nigerians to back Tinubu
The former deputy speaker further appealed to Nigerians across political, religious and ethnic divides to support Mr Tinubu’s re-election, saying continuity was necessary to consolidate the administration’s economic reforms.
PREMIUM TIMES previously reported that Mr Nwuche said Mr Tinubu’s APC Presidential nomination reflects confidence in his reforms.
READ ALSO: We’re still repaying loans incurred by Peter Obi, others – Anambra govt
He acknowledged that some of the reforms had imposed hardship on Nigerians but argued that policy consistency and stability were necessary for their benefits to materialise.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains the best choice for the future prosperity of Nigeria,” he said.
Mr Nwuche cautioned Nigerians against what he described as “bogus promises, fanciful projections and economic hallucinations” from some presidential aspirants ahead of the 2027 election.
He argued that some of the promises were disconnected from Nigeria’s current economic realities and developments in the global economy.
“What Nigeria needs now is not a return to the past, but the courage to complete the journey towards a stronger, more productive and prosperous nation,” he said.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
