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ADC accuses INEC of sabotage raises fear of 2027 election postponement

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of undermining its own credibility ahead of the 2027 general elections alleging that the commission’s repeated failures could provide grounds for postponing the polls.

The opposition party raised the concern in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi citing alleged irregularities in the voters’ register including the use of artificial intelligence-generated photographs and fictitious entries as well as INEC’s failure to publish the preliminary register within the statutory timeframe.

The ADC said INEC’s reported admission that some of its registration officials were responsible for introducing irregularities into the register raised questions about the commission’s commitment to electoral integrity.

‘If INEC knows that its own officials compromised the voters’ register with AI-generated photographs why has nobody been arrested? Why have these individuals not been handed over for prosecution? What exactly is INEC waiting for?’ the party asked.

It also faulted the commission for failing to publish the preliminary voters’ register online within the timeframe stipulated by Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 which according to the party requires the register to be made available for public scrutiny not later than 90 days before the general election.

The ADC noted that Section 19(5) provides penalties including fines and imprisonment for INEC officials who fail to comply with the publication requirement.

The party questioned why INEC which had years to prepare for the elections appeared unable to produce and publish a credible voters’ register in accordance with the law.

‘We are beginning to wonder whether INEC is intentionally trying to make itself incompetent. Because how else do you explain an electoral umpire that had at least three years to prepare for elections but is suddenly unable or unwilling to produce a credible voters’ register in accordance with the strict requirements of the law?’ it asked.

The ADC said the commission’s conduct had heightened concerns about its willingness to comply with other mandatory provisions of the Electoral Act during the elections.

It questioned what assurances Nigerians had that INEC would deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) use serialised ballot papers and observe other statutory safeguards on election day if it could allegedly disregard the law governing the publication of the voters’ register.

The party warned that such lapses could erode public confidence in the electoral process and fuel suspicions about the timing of the 2027 polls despite repeated denials by the Federal Government of plans to postpone the elections.

The ADC demanded an independent forensic audit of the voters’ register the identification and investigation of officials implicated in the alleged irregularities and a public explanation of INEC’s failure to comply with the statutory publication requirement.

It insisted that preparations for the elections must be guided by strict compliance with the Electoral Act rather than explanations for administrative failures.

‘The 2027 elections cannot be left to the discretion of an electoral umpire that appears increasingly comfortable with breaking its own rules. INEC must understand that compliance with the Electoral Act is not optional.

‘Nigerians deserve credible elections not a succession of excuses designed to prepare them for a predetermined outcome’ the party said.

2027: Fadahunsi denies alleged vote-buying PVC collection through bursary scheme

Senator Francis Fadahunsi representing Osun East Senatorial District has denied allegations that he administered an oath to beneficiaries of his bursary scheme to secure their votes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The second-term lawmaker also dismissed claims that he collected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from youths and students in the district describing the allegations as politically motivated and unsupported by evidence.

In a statement issued through his Head of Media and Public Enlightenment Omole Omo-Osodi Fadahunsi challenged those behind the allegations including members of the Osun East Coalition of Youths and Students to provide evidence to substantiate their claims.

He maintained that the allegations were unfounded and urged those making them to present verifiable facts rather than circulate claims he said could mislead the public.

According to him ‘Our attention has been drawn to a statement by a purportedly non-partisan group alleging bursary payments PVC collection and oath-taking involving youths and students in Osun East.

‘We consider these allegations baseless unsubstantiated and potentially defamatory. While we would ordinarily not dignify what appears to be a politically motivated attempt to attract public attention we consider it necessary to set the record straight and enlighten reasonable youths students and the general public across Osun East Senatorial District.

This aptly captures what we believe to be an attempt by political actors to advance their interests through allegations they have yet to substantiate.’

He stressed that ‘Senator Francis Fadahunsi is a respected father figure leader mentor and role model whose contributions and commitment to public service continue to speak for themselves. He is not aware of nor has he authorised any such alleged bursary arrangement or oath-taking exercise as claimed by the coalition.

‘At present Senator Fadahunsi remains focused on engaging constituents across Osun East Senatorial District and mobilising support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu his own re-election bid and the success of all All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates.’

He added ‘We therefore challenge the coalition to provide credible verifiable evidence to substantiate its allegations particularly the serious claim of oath-taking. The public deserves facts not unsubstantiated accusations or politically motivated narratives designed to mislead unsuspecting citizens.

He said Senator Fadahunsi remains confident in his record of service which he believes speaks volumes about his commitment to the people.

How GITEX Lagos is championing Lagos as Africa’s technology hub

Lagos State strengthened its push to position itself as Africa’s leading innovation hub as the Lagos State Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST), led by Olatunbosun Alake, its commissioner, took a big role at GITEX Nigeria 2026, using the two-day technology gathering to showcase the state’s growing startup ecosystem, connect innovators with investors and deepen conversations around digital transformation across Nigeria.

Held at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, the Lagos leg of GITEX Nigeria brought together government officials, technology companies, startups, investors and international ecosystem players as the Tech Expo, Future Economy Conference and Startup Festival provided a broad platform for conversations around the continent’s digital future.

The programme followed a Welcome Dinner attended by representatives of several state governments, founders, investors and diplomatic guests.

Representing Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the opening,

Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor, described Lagos as a ‘consequential city’, stressing that the decision to bring GITEX to the state reflected its growing importance within Africa’s technology landscape.

He reiterated the administration’s ambition to move Lagos beyond its traditional identity as Nigeria’s commercial capital towards becoming Africa’s innovation capital, pointing to the state’s nearly 1,000 active startups as evidence of the depth of its technology ecosystem.

More than two dozen startups and technology companies, spanning artificial intelligence, fintech, cybersecurity, edtech, agritech and logistics, were visible on the exhibition floor.

Among them were Sidebrief, DawnAI, RollaPay, Hyperspace Technologies, Sowota and Climatrix AI, which used the platform to engage investors, government representatives and potential international partners.

A major highlight of Lagos’ participation came on the second day with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) Pitch Programme, organised in partnership with TechQuest STEM Academy and MIST. The initiative provided selected founders with an opportunity to present their businesses, solutions and growth plans directly to investors and other ecosystem stakeholders.

Beyond serving as a conventional startup showcase, the pitch programme offered a direct link between Lagos’ innovation pipeline and the capital required to scale it, allowing founders to demonstrate the problems they are solving, their products and the markets they are targeting.

Ganiyu Oseni, MIST’s Special Adviser to the Governor on Innovation, Technology and Broadband Development, who is also the Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC), also used the gathering to make a broader case for Lagos and Nigeria to move from being consumers of imported technologies to becoming producers of solutions capable of competing across Africa and the global market.

According to Oseni, connectivity, power, digital identity and talent remain critical foundations for a functioning digital economy, while infrastructure and policy must be developed together rather than treated as separate issues. He also challenged investors to look beyond Lagos as simply a large market, urging companies to establish operational presence in the state and build, operate and grow from within the ecosystem.

The conversations extended into financial technology through FDX Nigeria by GITEX, which examined digital payments, banking, financial inclusion, digital assets and cross-border finance. The launch of MINT Africa by GITEX, a platform focused on the future of finance on the continent, further aligned with Lagos’ interest in fintech, digital assets, tokenisation and cross-border financial innovation.

Beyond GITEX itself, MIST’s convening role was also evident in the Commissioners’ Roundtable on Digital Transformation and Innovation, which Lagos hosted for the second consecutive time. The closed-door meeting brought together commissioners, directors-general and technology chiefs from Katsina, Ogun, Jigawa, Ondo, Kwara, Delta and Borno states, alongside representatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and senior Lagos officials.

The Roundtable focused on the institutional, infrastructural, human-capital and policy conditions required to move digital government beyond isolated pilot projects towards sustainable, citizen-centred systems. Participants identified political will, digital literacy, standardised data, cybersecurity, strategic infrastructure, innovation-to-government pipelines, measurable digital-economy outcomes and stronger inter-state collaboration as key requirements.

For Lagos, Alake highlighted the state’s implementation policy framework, enterprise architecture and IT education, alongside efforts to standardise data, audit systems holding state information, operate an Oracle-based Applicant Resourcing Platform and maintain a fully digital payroll system.

Other states also presented their own digital initiatives and challenges, including Katsina’s Resident ID and iKatsina platform, Delta’s ICT youth training programme and digital agency, and technology delivery challenges in Kwara, while representatives from Jigawa, Ondo, Borno and Ogun outlined their respective infrastructure and digital-government gaps.

Brighton stun Man City with historic 1-0 Etihad win

Manchester City suffered consecutive Premier League defeats for the first time under Enzo Maresca after Brighton secured a 1-0 win at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The defeat followed Man City’s defeat to Aston Villa last weekend, marking the club’s first run of back-to-back league defeats since August 2025.

Brighton’s victory also ended their long wait for a first-ever Premier League away win against City, achieved at the 18th attempt, and moved the Seagulls to within two points of the leaders. Third-placed Brighton strengthened their title ambitions with another significant result, having already beaten reigning champions Arsenal convincingly this season.

Fabian Hrzeler’s side also gained revenge for their League Cup exit against City on Wednesday. The Seagulls had twice taken the lead at the Etihad before losing on penalties, a result that left their manager frustrated.

This time, Brighton made their early advantage count, with Yasin Ayari slotting home in the 11th minute.

Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen then produced an inspired performance to withstand City’s second-half pressure and preserve the visitors’ lead.

Brighton were also dangerous on the counter-attack and could have extended their advantage late on, but Jack Hinshelwood’s effort struck the side netting.

City had won their opening seven league matches as Maresca made an impressive start to the demanding task of succeeding Pep Guardiola. However, successive defeats have checked that momentum and increased the pressure on the new manager.

The result also means Arsenal can move above Manchester City and return to the top of the Premier League table if they avoid defeat against Liverpool on Sunday.

UK shortens post-study work visa for foreign graduates outside selected universities

Thousands of African graduates seeking employment in the United Kingdom (UK) could lose six months of post-study work opportunities under a new immigration policy that makes the duration of their stay dependent on the university they attend.

The UK government will retain the two-year Graduate visa for international students completing degrees at selected universities, while graduates from other institutions will receive only 18 months from January 1, 2027. The arrangement creates a two-tier system in which a university’s immigration compliance record and graduate employment outcomes could determine how long international students can remain in Britain after graduation.

The decision partially reverses an earlier plan to reduce the Graduate visa for all bachelor’s and master’s degree holders from two years to 18 months. However, the government has not disclosed which universities will qualify for the longer period or how their performance will be assessed.

In its 2026 Budget, the government said the extended period would apply to graduates from institutions with strong immigration compliance records and positive employment outcomes.

‘The government will also increase the duration of the Graduate visa to two years for graduates from high compliance universities where there are strong labour market outcomes,’ the Budget document stated.

The policy has significant implications for African students, particularly Nigerians, who constitute a major segment of the UK’s international student population and often rely on post-study employment to gain professional experience and recover the cost of studying abroad.

Nigeria was the UK’s third-largest source of sponsored international students in the year ending June 2026, with 26,060 study visas issued to Nigerian main applicants, behind China and India.

Nigerians were also among the largest beneficiaries of the Graduate route, with 20,604 nationals receiving approval during the period, the third-highest figure among nationalities.

The figures highlight the potential scale of the policy’s impact, although the number of African graduates affected extends beyond Nigeria.

University choice becomes an immigration consideration

The new arrangement means prospective international students may have to consider a university’s eligibility for the extended Graduate visa alongside tuition fees, academic reputation and employment prospects.

For students financing their education through personal savings, family support or loans, losing six months of post-study work eligibility could reduce the time available to secure employment, gain experience and transition to a longer-term immigration route.

The Graduate visa allows eligible international students to work or search for employment without first obtaining employer sponsorship. However, it cannot be extended, meaning graduates who wish to remain in Britain beyond its validity must qualify for another immigration category, such as the Skilled Worker visa.

Under the revised rules, students graduating before the end of 2026 can still apply for the existing two-year Graduate visa. The shorter 18-month period will apply to applications submitted from January 1, 2027, while doctoral graduates will continue to qualify for three years.

The absence of a published list of qualifying universities creates uncertainty for students making admission and financial decisions ahead of the implementation date. Without clear assessment criteria, prospective applicants may struggle to determine whether their chosen institution will provide access to the longer post-study period.

UK expands opportunities for highly skilled graduates

Alongside the changes to the Graduate route, Britain plans to widen access to its High Potential Individual visa by extending eligibility to graduates of the world’s top 150 universities, compared with the smaller group currently covered.

The route allows eligible graduates of leading overseas institutions to move to the UK without securing a job offer before arrival.

The government also intends to give some highly skilled sponsored workers up to six months to find another job when their existing sponsorship ends.

Together, the measures suggest a more selective approach to international migration. While the government is shortening the post-study work period for some graduates, it is creating additional opportunities for individuals from institutions and professional backgrounds it considers valuable to the British labour market.

Pastors are neither magicians nor govt

Businessman Frank Gashumba has challenged Ugandan apostles, prophets and generally Pentecostal pastors to walk into the Intensive Care Units of hospitals and heal the sick. Mr Gashumba promises to part with more than Shs200 million for any pastor who can pull off this miracle.

Gashumba, who frames the men and women of God as certified crooks, is questioning their contribution to national development. Many Ugandans have joined Gashumba’s taunting of pastors, demanding specific signs and wonders as proof of their relevance to society.

We, the Anglicans, Catholics, Muslims and atheists, seem excited to not only contribute to the sarcasm against the pastors but also scandalise the debate. Whereas Gashumba and his ilk chest thump as doing the Lord’s work in calling out pastors, they are only calling on the pastors to become magicians. It is the magicians who pull off stunts for entertainment and profit. We have, nonetheless, seen some pastors who have turned the ministry of evangelism into entertainment and trade. It is, therefore, unsurprising that pastors are being dragged to pull off stunts as though they were magicians.

Pastors find themselves in a similar place Jesus Christ found himself when he entered Galilee. The Sadducees and Pharisees approached Jesus demanding a miracle to prove his authority (Matthew 12: 38). Jesus’ response was that only an evil and adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign.

To the extent that Biblical theology imagines one’s relationship with God as a marriage covenant, Jesus’ response indicated that only men and women whose relationship with God was questionable could ask him for a miracle. Jesus refused to perform the miracle.

Several pastors have, however, responded to Gashumba’s challenge with fury. The fury, much like Gashumba’s frustration, is misguided. If Gashumba truly feels for the unbearably sick in Ugandan hospitals, the right question to ask should be whether, as a country, we are doing enough to guarantee quality health care services to our citizens.

Gashumba’s critique is punctuated with a political disingenuity which scapegoats pastors for the failures of our health system. Pastors are not a government. It is government that is expected to safeguard society from different afflictions of life. Gashumba is thus behaving like the Jewish Zealots who only imagined Jesus as a political messiah who would overthrow the Roman Empire for them.

The pastors are, however, also failing to realise that Gashumba’s challenge emerges from a deep-rooted theological waywardness.

Gashumba, who began his critique of pastors with a reaffirmation of his Christianity, is winding it up with a celebratory revelation of how prominent traditional spiritualists are in defence of him. If the major calling of any Christian worth the identity is to make disciples of all nations, Gashumba is making disrupters of all disciples and bragging about it. Gashumba ought to be reminded that when pastors perform miracles, the act is supposed to only be part of bringing glory to God, not to prove anything about the pastors.

Of course, some pastors perform miracles and take all the glory away from God. These pastors turn churchgoers into their own followers instead of followers of Christ. The pastors’ conscription of Christians into their own followers has generated an unhealthy competition among them as though they were not working for the same cause of winning souls for Jesus Christ.

During the time Jesus walked the earth, the temptation for His Apostles to compete among themselves was also alive. On one occasion in the village of Capernaum, Jesus overheard His disciples debating who among themselves was the greatest. Jesus assured them that the greatest among them was he who was willing to take the last place and be a servant of everyone else (Mark 9: 33 – 35). The pastors thus ought not only to shun Gashumba’s invitation to a performance of their pride but also to manifest the fruits of the Spirit of God.

2027: Adamawa PDP candidate confident of victory despite mass defection to APC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Adamawa State Maurice Volnobolki has expressed confidence in the party’s chances of winning the 2027 general election despite the defection of local government chairmen and councillors to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Volnobolki gave the assurance during the inauguration of the party’s 2027 campaign council in Yola where he urged members to remain committed to the party’s campaign.

He said the defection of council chairmen and councillors across the state’s 21 local government areas and 226 wards would not diminish the PDP’s grassroots support or affect its chances at the polls.

‘There is no cause for alarm. I have no doubt in my mind that all of you representing our structures across the 226 wards and 21 local governments are capable of delivering victory for the PDP’ he said.

Volnobolki recalled the 2019 general election when the PDP won in Adamawa despite not controlling the local government councils or having councillors and political appointees.

He said the party could replicate the feat in 2027 through the commitment and mobilisation of its grassroots supporters.

The PDP candidate also commended Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s administration for its development and empowerment programmes which he said aligned with the party’s manifesto.

‘The party that brought the sitting governor is here and you are the grassroots that brought the governor. I assure you that we are equal to the task’ he said.

He pledged not to disappoint party members who entrusted him with the governorship ticket urging supporters to turn out in massive numbers and vote without fear of intimidation.

The PDP candidate also challenged other governorship contenders to a public debate saying he was ready to defend his policies and programmes before the electorate.

He said his nine-point agenda for Adamawa was anchored on three major pillars: people prosperity and peace.

According to him the proposed agenda would focus on citizens’ welfare justice fairness equal opportunities security and the provision of critical infrastructure.

Earlier Adamawa PDP Chairman Mr Belmont Dogo congratulated members of the campaign council and reaffirmed the party’s commitment to peaceful law-abiding political engagement.

‘We in PDP have no time for propaganda or cheap blackmail but to deliver good governance to Adamawa people in the coming election’ Dogo said.

Also speaking the Director-General of the campaign council Mr Hamman Ribadu pledged to intensify grassroots mobilisation across the state to secure support for the party.

The PDP State Legal Adviser Mr John Tunoh administered the campaign council’s code of conduct and urged members to remain disciplined and committed to the party’s objectives.

Oando returns to operating profit with N159.7bn in nine months

Oando Plc returned to operating profitability in the nine months ended September 2026, supported by higher crude oil production, improved facility uptime and lower operating costs, as revenue rose 9 percent to N2.78 trillion.

The indigenous energy company recorded an operating profit of N159.7 billion, compared with an operating loss of N109.7 billion in the corresponding period of 2025, according to its unaudited financial results for the nine months ended September 2026.

Average daily production increased 14 percent to 42,985 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), from 37,614 boepd a year earlier, reflecting higher output across crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs).

Gross profit rose 483 percent to N174.5 billion from N29.8 billion, while facility uptime improved to 96.1 percent from 85 percent, indicating better reliability across its upstream operations.

Wale Tinubu, group chief executive of Oando, said the improved performance reflected investments in its upstream assets and operational efficiency.

‘Our performance in the first nine months of 2026 demonstrates how diligent execution under our operatorship, supported by our renewed investment drive, is delivering greater efficiency, improved reliability, lower unit costs and ultimately higher production across our expanded upstream portfolio,’ he said.

Crude oil production increased 12 percent to 12,193 barrels per day, while gas production rose 13 percent to 28,689 boepd. NGL production grew 53 percent to 2,103 barrels per day.

The company’s total exploration and production sales volumes increased 21 percent to 10.21 million barrels of oil equivalent. Crude oil liftings rose 43 percent to 3.97 million barrels, while natural gas sales increased 5 percent to 34.01 billion standard cubic feet. NGL sales climbed 90 percent to 570,000 barrels.

The improved production performance also helped lower production operating costs by 22 percent to $15.39 per barrel of oil equivalent, from $19.67 in the corresponding period of 2025.

Despite the operating recovery, Oando’s earnings remained under pressure from financing costs. The company recorded a loss before tax of N74.7 billion, compared with a profit before tax of N19.5 billion a year earlier, as net finance costs reached N235.2 billion.

Profit after tax fell 47 percent to N106.5 billion from N201.3 billion, supported by an income tax credit of N181.1 billion.

Cash generated from operations stood at N285 billion, compared with N339.2 billion used in the corresponding period of 2025. The company invested N110.7 billion in capital expenditure, mainly in drilling activities across its OMLs 60-63 assets.

Total borrowings declined to N2.16 trillion, representing a 20 percent reduction from the end of 2025, while closing cash increased to N175.9 billion from N143.8 billion a year earlier.

Oando is also advancing a seven-well drilling programme across its operated assets. The company said it had completed drilling and brought Idu 6ST and Idu 15 on stream, while workovers at Samabri 4T and Samabri 7T had been completed.

Drilling is ongoing at Idu T and Samabri A50, with the final well, Ogbainbiri, scheduled to spud in December. The programme is expected to add between 16,000 and 20,000 boepd in gross production when completed.

The company has narrowed its 2026 full-year production guidance to between 40,000 and 45,000 boepd and expects capital expenditure of $90 million to $100 million, focused on upstream development activities.

In its electric mobility business, Oando said its partnership with the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority recorded more than 212,000 passenger journeys in the first nine months of the year. The company also received 11 additional electric buses, bringing its fleet to 13, with the expanded fleet expected to enter service in the fourth quarter.

Tinubu said the company would focus on completing its drilling programme, sustaining production and strengthening its balance sheet through a planned equity raise.

Atiku to INEC: Name officials responsible for AI photographs on voters’ register

African Democratic Congress ( ADC) presidential candidate, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) must name its officials responsible for the inclusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated photographs in the voter register.

Atiku, in a statement by the Director, Strategic Communication, ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, said INEC’s admission that AI generated images and other irregularities entered the voter register through its registration officers, is a scandal that strikes at the heart of the commission’s credibility.

The former Vice President charged opposition leaders and the international community to demand an independent audit, full disclosure and accountability on the voter register scandal.

The ADC candidate, while accusing the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration of allegedly enabling the crisis by allowing INEC to evade scrutiny, stated that the electoral umpire has no right to demand trust while shielding those responsible for the infraction.

‘INEC has admitted that some AI generated images are on the voter register and that registration officers introduced irregularities across the country. The Commission charged with protecting Nigerians’ votes has acknowledged that its own system was abused by those entrusted to operate it. This is a catastrophic failure of leadership and safeguards.

‘Professor Joash Amupitan through Boyode Lawrence says INEC knows what its officers did and how they tampered with the register, yet claims it does not know why. That is a disgraceful evasion, not an answer. Even ordinary WhatsApp, Facebook and email accounts appear to have stronger security safeguards than those INEC’s ICT director described on national television. How can the database holding the votes of millions of Nigerians be less secure than a personal social media account?

‘If INEC knows how the register was compromised, it must disclose the evidence, identify every officer involved and explain why they have not been suspended and prosecuted. Amupitan cannot admit the misconduct, withhold the perpetrators’ identities and expect Nigerians to accept ignorance as an excuse. He must account for this failure now,’ Atiku stated.

He stated that INEC must not quietly ‘clean up’ the voter register and bury the evidence, noting that allegations that more than 20 million AI generated images may be involved demands an independent forensic audit.

‘INEC has no right to demand trust while concealing evidence and shielding those responsible. Name the culprits, expose the contractors and submit the register and election materials to independent scrutiny. Until then, its assurances are worthless. The credibility of the 2027 election is on the line.’

Rainbow Coalition: Foreshadow of Wike’s ‘4th term agenda’?

Tuesday, October 27, 2026 will remain significant for some time to come in the political life of Rivers State following the formal launch at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, of the much-hyped Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party political platform cobbled by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Given its unpretentious mission to dominate the politics of the hydrocarbon-rich Rivers State, along with some other states, the dispensation has raised concerns in several quarters due to its antecedents, and the unrelenting war of attrition that came to serve as the hallmark of its principal sponsor, against real and perceived opposition.

The high point of the attrition campaign was the capitulation and volte-face adopted for peace to reign by the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who, in spite of being a prime victim, has been forced to align with and endorse the coalition.

Among the trending questions now is what implications the ongoing coalition drama have for the future of the state, given the fact that the Rainbow Coalition is, in essence, the imposition of an incongruous political platform, seen by not a few observers as the fourth term agenda for Wike, which is being imposed on the disparate groups that make up the state.

The argument for this consideration draws from Wike’s proclivities in respect of the governorship of Rivers State. He had served two terms as governor of the state between 2015 and 2023, which qualified as first and second terms. Restricted by the constitution to serve a third term, he had manipulated Fubara into office, with the intention that the latter would remain a mere placeholder while he exercised real power. It was the reluctance of Fubara to act the placeholder that spawned the crisis between them; hence the Fubara tenure is widely seen as Wike’s troubled third term by proxy.

Now, courtesy of the Rainbow Coalition, Wike is positioning governorship candidates, namely, Kingsley Chinda of the APC and Sam Ejekwu of the PDP, both of whom are from his Ikwerre ethnic group, to ensure that one of them wins to serve as the enabler of his fourth term agenda.

With respect to the evolution of the Rainbow Coalition, not a few have rightly or otherwise likened its circumstances to the fable of the fox that lost its tail in a fight, only to gather the rest of the pack to advocate a new wisdom in living without a tail. In the case of the sympathisers of the Rainbow Coalition as presently constituted, what may be missing is the capacity for discretion and appreciation of political history, along with imperative for balance of interests among the constituent groups in the state.

The political history of Rivers State posits that ethnic harmony among the constituent groups is guaranteed with the rotation of the office of governor between the upland and riverine components of the state: which the Rainbow Coalition dispensation has come to disrupt.

Meanwhile, against the facade of seeming widespread acceptance of the Rainbow Coalition by some communities in Rivers State rages a growing storm of reservations over its tendency of assimilating opposition actors, often without as much as any consultation with their constituencies.

With respect to the mission of the Coalition, it needs to be recalled that it was cobbled by Wike to fulfill the promise of a consolidation of the Rivers State votes for Tinubu’s re-election gambit. Hence, hardly do considerations about the development challenges of Rivers State feature in the calculus and conversations of the coalition.

This situation renders it a retrogressive dispensation that offers any prospects of progress to the state. As is also widely appreciated, the history of the Rainbow Coalition situates it as the consolidation of Wike’s his grip on the state as a base for an eventual return to another contest for the nation’s presidency.

Easy to recall is Wike’s failed bid for the Presidency in 2022 and his vengeful fight-back against the PDP, as well as later joining of forces with the then APC candidate Bola Tinubu. In the light of the foregoing, the political future of Rivers State stands at a cross roads. In one direction lies the portends of allowing the future to be determined through the political alchemy of Wike, which features his sole prerogative of determining who governs the state now and in the future.

The demerit of this situation lies in the wisdom of the fact that no individual is altruistic enough to be entrusted with absolute political power over a group. And that includes Wike. Against the backdrop of the merit of political representation being the advocacy by a representative for the betterment of his or her constituency, the circumstances of a bandwagon declaration of subservience to single potentate by a generation of political elite, even without consultation, evokes concerns of possible manipulation.

To accentuate the incongruity of the Rainbow Coalition in the political firmament of Rivers State is the African proverb which states that only a child with compromised appreciation of his or her ancestry points to the parents’ grave with the left hand. Hardly is the message here a mystery to the affected. In the final analysis, therefore, the future of the state will be better served with an unfettered political space, which has to be spawned now with the forthcoming 2027 general polls. This is where and why the Wike dispensation through the Rainbow Coalition has shot itself in the foot with its inclination towards restricting the democratic space.