Rainbow without colours: Wike’s Rivers coalition faces inclusion test

The Rainbow Coalition, spearheaded by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, recently unveiled its candidates for the 2027 general elections in Rivers State. Six political parties — APC, PDP, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Allied Peoples Movement, Labour Party, and Action Alliance — joined forces under this alliance with the primary goal of supporting President Bola Tinubu's re-election. However, the coalition's inclusiveness has been called into question following the distribution of political tickets.

In the state's 3 senatorial seats, the APC secured two, while the PDP claimed one. Among the 13 House of Representatives candidates, the APC produced 10, and the PDP three. The remaining 32 State House of Assembly seats were allocated to the APC with 21 tickets and the PDP with 11. None of the other coalition parties produced any candidates.

The APC garnered all the governorship candidates, with the Labour Party reportedly endorsing Kingsley Chinda, who was subsequently named the coalition's preferred choice. However, the Labour Party candidates' names were absent from the final list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Critics argue that the uneven distribution of political opportunities signals a lack of genuine inclusiveness within the coalition. Favour Reuben, a chieftain of the Labour Party in Rivers State, dismissed the promise of an inclusive government from the APC's gubernatorial candidate. Reuben questioned why only APC and PDP candidates received recognition from the coalition, and why promises of future inclusion were insufficient.

He also challenged the notion that the Labour Party as an institution had joined the coalition, stating that only the party's state chairman had aligned with the alliance.

Another dissenter, the Rivers South-East senatorial candidate from the Action Alliance, Fabeke, alleged that his party's leadership had unilaterally decided to join the Rainbow Coalition without consulting party members. He alleged that some candidates who participated in the party's primaries were unceremoniously removed from the list without his knowledge. Fabeke demanded transparency and an end to the secret dealings that led to his exclusion.

The coalition's lack of representation for the other parties has raised doubts about its purpose and the future of the alliance. Public affairs analyst Jackson Ojo acknowledged the coalition's objectives, but questioned how members of participating parties who did not secure tickets would be accommodated. Ojo maintained that the coalition should demonstrate fairness in the distribution of elective positions to ensure all parties' members are included.