Fubara tells supporters: Join Rainbow Coalition or leave

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has told his supporters that those who do not want to join the Rainbow Coalition can leave. He emphasized that his decision to go back to his political family is not up for discussion.

Fubara made this statement on Thursday during the kickoff of the Rivers State All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council Rainbow Coalition in Port Harcourt.

He congratulated members who made it to the campaign council list. He encouraged those who did not make the list not to feel bad. He reminded them that there are still sub-committees and the list can be changed.

But he warned against divided loyalty. He asked his supporters to stay committed to the coalition.

He said, "We still have sub-committees. The list can also be updated so you don’t have any problems to worry about. The most important thing is to work with your heart sincerely.

“Don’t openly say you’re with me and behold you’re doing a different thing. I’m here, and I say it boldly anywhere any day. And no anybody who says he is not with me, gently go your way.”

The governor recognized that the new political situation after the long crisis in the state might be hard to accept. He urged his supporters to let go of the past and look to the future.

He said, "Don’t go behind and say this is Fubara, no, no, no. I have said it. It might be difficult but we have gone past that. We are looking at the future and what God holds for us.”

He asked members of the campaign council to work together to meet their goals. He expressed hope that the coalition’s candidates would win in the upcoming elections.

He added, "Nothing is impossible. Provided it’s something that has to do with life, it is possible if we take it as a serious responsibility, a serious task that must be achieved, we will come out with a stronger vote than what we did in 2023.

“It is only for us to say yes, we want to do it. And I am very sure that with the strategy of these forthcoming elections we are going to come out with good results better than what we had before.”

Fubara thanked the Coordinator of the Rivers State Presidential Campaign Council, Nyesom Wike, and others for their work in setting up the council.

Earlier, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Wike, who inaugurated the council, said that campaign councils would soon be formed in all 23 local government areas of the state.

He explained that the coalition would change its campaign style by engaging residents through community meetings, family gatherings, and age-grade groups.

Wike said, "We are going away from that ceremonial campaign style. When we are going to Gokana today, we just stay in one field and begin to talk to those we already know.

“It is going to be different. This time around we are going round to communities, to family meetings, to age grade meetings and other informal sects to talk to them, not necessarily those we meet with every day.

“You and I meet every day; then tomorrow again we gather in one place, we say we are holding a rally. We must depart from that.”

The minister praised Fubara for attending the inauguration and other council engagements despite his busy schedule.

Wike, who is also the National Leader of the PDP/Rainbow Coalition, said council members were chosen based on their ability to contribute and achieve results.

He urged them to work hard to secure votes for the APC and Rainbow Coalition candidates in next year’s presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and State House of Assembly elections.

He added that, besides the Presidential Campaign Council and its sub-committees, local government campaign councils would soon be launched to boost the coalition’s grassroots efforts.