Category: PM News

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has intensified its mobilisation in Edo State ahead of the 2027 general elections, with its Vice-Presidential Candidate, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and former Edo State Governor, Chief John Oyegun, calling for political change and economic reforms in Nigeria.

They spoke at an ADC town hall meeting in Edo State attended by party leaders, candidates, supporters and other dignitaries, where the party presented its vision for Edo State and Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.

Amaechi, a former Rivers State governor, criticised the economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, which he said had worsened inflation and increased the burden on ordinary Nigerians.

He said energy remained fundamental to economic production, stressing that ‘without it, you cannot produce.’

According to Amaechi, the subsidy removal was undertaken without sufficient consideration of its effect on inflation and the cost of living.

He argued that lower fuel prices would reduce the cost of goods and services and could also contribute to a reduction in crime.

Amaechi said an ADC-led government would introduce production subsidies and implement policies designed to make production easier, while also promising tax cuts and improved salaries.

He further pledged that an ADC government would ensure the construction of all seaports in the country.

On the electoral process, Amaechi urged Nigerians to protect their votes, insisting that elections should be won at the polling units rather than through court battles.

‘You will defend your votes. If you don’t fight for your right, they will take it,’ he said, referring to developments in Osun State.

The ADC vice-presidential candidate also promised greater participation of women in government, saying the country could not be effectively governed without women.

He pledged that an ADC government would increase women’s participation in governance and provide schools in primary communities across villages.

Amaechi also promised to reduce the cost of school fees and make education more accessible to Nigerians.

Speaking on his experience as Rivers State governor, he recalled walking the streets and interacting directly with residents, saying such engagement enabled leaders to understand the realities facing the people.

Earlier, Edo State ADC Chairman, Chief Anthony Alile, said the town hall meeting demonstrated that the party was fully preparing for the 2027 elections.

Alile said Nigeria was at a critical crossroads, adding that the ADC was seeking power to restore effective governance.

He said the people of Edo wanted jobs, security and leadership they could trust, stressing that the party’s message of change was resonating across the state.

ADC leader in Edo Central, Barr. Kenneth Imansuagbon, urged voters to use their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to effect political change.

He said, ‘APC have AK-47 and we have PVC,’ while accusing the ruling party of leaving the state with bad roads and insecurity.

Imansuagbon said the people of Edo were not cowards and would support the ADC at the polls.

In Edo South, ADC leader Senator Ehigie Usamere condemned the display of weapons in political activities, describing it as a sign of weakness.

He urged Benin people to take a leading role in politics and said the ADC would receive strong support from the area.

The ADC National Woman Leader, Naomi Lasara, also urged voters to go beyond casting their ballots by ensuring that their votes were protected.

The event featured the official commissioning of ADC campaign songs under the theme, ‘Entertainer for Good Governance.’

In his remarks, Chief John Oyegun, a former executive governor of Edo State, said Nigerians made ‘terrible mistakes’ three years ago and were now paying for them.

Oyegun expressed concern over political intimidation in Edo State, particularly alleged threats involving AK-47s, and questioned whether such a political environment was what the people wanted.

He said he had closely observed Amaechi during his tenure as Rivers State governor and argued that Nigeria needed courageous leadership and experience to address its current challenges.

Oyegun said the 2027 election should provide an opportunity to correct what he described as the mistakes of 2023 and ‘rescue the nation.’

The town hall also featured the presentation of ADC candidates and members of the party’s state working committee, including Edo North senatorial candidate Haruna Abubakar, Edo Central senatorial candidate, Edo South senatorial candidate Senator Matthew Erohide, and the party’s nine House of Representatives candidates.

Other dignitaries at the event included ADC campaign adviser Senator Osamere, Barr. Kenneth Imasogbon, Senator Nurudeen Usman, Pastor Oseni, National Woman Leader Naomi Lasara, the South-South Woman Leader, Senator Ayo Akinyolore from Ondo State, Jubril Sabi Kiyana from Nasarawa State, former Attorney-General Barr. Mohamed Hassan Abdullahi, Nasarawa State gubernatorial candidate Hon. Asita Hon, and Niger Delta politician Nancy Stephens from Rivers State.

The town hall meeting is part of the ADC’s grassroots mobilisation and engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Dar es Salaam. Academic excellence has opened a pathway to career opportunities for 13 Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) students, after the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) recognised their achievements and encouraged them to apply their knowledge to challenges facing the agricultural sector.

The students received the awards at a ceremony held at SUA on October 7, 2026, as part of TADB’s support for young people pursuing agriculture-related studies.

Speaking on behalf of TADB, Chief Human Resources Officer Edna Nyatta said the awards were part of the bank’s partnership with SUA to identify and support students excelling in agriculture-related fields.

She urged the students to continue learning, embrace innovation and apply their academic knowledge to address challenges facing the country, particularly in agriculture.

‘Your academic achievement is an important milestone, but the knowledge you have gained should ultimately be used to solve real challenges facing our country,’ she said.

Ms Nyatta said TADB also provides practical training opportunities through its Learn with Us programme, under which about 10 SUA students have secured internships, with six later obtaining permanent employment.

She said the initiative was in line with recent guidance from the Vice President on strengthening internship programmes to help young people gain practical experience and improve their prospects in the labour market.

SUA Vice Chancellor Professor Raphael Chibunda thanked TADB for supporting the awards and called on the bank to extend internship opportunities to the 13 students.

He said practical training would help students bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace demands, while better preparing them for employment and entrepreneurship in agriculture.

Nollywood actor, filmmaker and entrepreneur Femi Adebayo has reacted with surprise to the viral claims that his newly opened Euphoria 360 Hub is valued at ?40 billion.

Claims about the valuation of the facility located in Oregun, Lagos has been circulating online since it was commissioned on October 6, 2026, by Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat.

The opening ceremony of the film hub was attended by prominent Nollywood figures including Odunlade Adekola, Kunle Afolayan and Ramsey Nouah.

Adebayo’s father, veteran actor Adebayo Salami (popularly known as Oga Bello), was visibly emotional during the ceremony, struggling to hold back tears as he spoke about his son’s achievement.

The massive complex was established as the headquarters of Adebayo’s Euphoria360 Media Limited.

It also included cinema-grade production studios, post-production suites for editing and colour grading, music video and event facilities, equipment rental, and the Euphoria360 Film Academy aimed at training emerging talent.

While Adebayo has not spoken about what it cost him to establish the facility, some netizens have estimated the cost of the massive studio which was commissioned with glitz and glamour at N40 billon.

Repeating this claim, an X post by one @Usmanashafe declared: ‘The studio is valued at 40billion naira ?? What a great investment by Femi Adebayo ???? Femi is BIG!!!!’Adebayo

However, Adebayo seemed not amused by the valuation as he questioned the basis for arriving at the humungous amount.

‘Valued at what?? What?? How? When, where? Wow!’ Adebayo responded, with a string of pointed questions that quickly went viral, quoting the post by the X user.

The actor’s puzzled response triggered a wave of reactions on X with some use treating the claim with humour and practical concern.

@hakmax posted an image alongside the comment: ‘FIRS and LIRS people already calculating how much tax to charge you. ??’

@adeyemijedediah wrote: ‘Potential investors don help you value your company. Nah you no know the value wetin you get. Tell them to bring 4 billion for a 10% stake.’

@IyegereS offered a more protective note: ‘Baba mi, dem wan put you for talk.’

Another user, @DejiAcre, jokingly asked: ‘Billionaire Femi Adebayo, please, when are you selling the IPO of your NGN 40 billion studio? ?? We the Nigerian investors, are waiting. ??’

One user noted that ‘Nigerians have problem with numbers,’ while others simply laughed at Adebayo’s evident shock, with posts such as ‘egbon shock’ and ‘Even you yourself shock ??????.’

For now, Femi Adebayo has left the valuation debate of the hub which had already hosted high-profile work, including the shoot for Davido’s ‘B4 B4’ music video, before its formal opening open

While several media reports and social media posts have described the project as a ?40 billion facility, Adebayo himself has not confirmed any such valuation.

Relatives of the rescued National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members have voiced their grievances following the state operation, asserting that they were forced to pay multi-million naira ransoms to the kidnappers prior to the release.

P.M.NEWS recalls that abducted Corp members and another hostage were rescued by security agencies, including the military, Department of State Services, DSS, on Wednesday.

The families, however, while speaking with News Central Television, explained that they had sent up to 6million Naira to the abductors as ransom.

‘I paid as much as N3 million as ransom while I was hoping that nothing happened to my child. I ran helter-skelter to raise the money. I eventually got the money and sent someone to Imo State to deliver the ransom,’ a mother of one of the corps members told News Central Television.

‘We had to converge somewhere in Ibadan, Oyo State to put the money together. Some of us even changed the money to dollars and sent it to Imo State to meet whoever was coming to pick it,’ A father said, explaining that he paid N6 million for the release of his abducted son.

‘I am excited that my son is coming back. However, how do I repay the N6 million I borrowed? I’m just a farmer,’ he cried out.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that the then governor of Rivers State offered the late Chief Daniel Orbih inducements to withdraw support for his governorship ambition, but the Peoples Democratic Party chieftain refused.

Wike spoke in Abuja on Wednesday during a night of tributes for Orbih, whom he credited with helping him become Rivers governor in 2015.

He traced their bond to the political struggles of 2013 and 2014, saying Orbih stood firm despite pressure from opponents seeking to derail his ambition.

‘There was nothing in this world that was not done to induce him. My governor then sent people to Dan, offered him everything in this world, but Dan stood firm and said, ‘No, I will not accept, I will not agree.”

Wike did not name the governor in his remarks.

Orbih, the PDP National Vice-Chairman, South South, hailed from Etsako in Edo State. He died on August 31 at the age of 64.

The minister described Orbih as the instrument God used to pave the way for his emergence as governor.

‘Today I am a Minister of the FCT; yesterday I was a governor. Who did God use for me to become governor? It was Dan,’ he said.

Wike said Orbih donated two bulletproof Mercedes-Benz buses to strengthen his security during the campaign and mobilised political support across the South South.

Despite those contributions, he said Orbih never sought contracts or personal favours throughout his eight years as governor.

‘Dan is not a typical Nigerian politician. Throughout my eight years as governor, he never came for one day-either by phone or coming to my house to say, ‘I need this contract.’ Never,’ he said.

The minister said Orbih’s conduct demonstrated the loyalty and commitment that defined their friendship.

‘The only way I can identify a politician that is reliable is when that politician has stood in times of crisis. Loyalty, commitment to friendship, and being a brother’s keeper run in Dan’s family,’ he said.

Wike added that many serving national and state lawmakers would not have attained their positions without Orbih’s support and protection of the region’s interests.

He also credited Orbih with laying the foundation for cooperation across party lines in Edo State, saying the late politician supported several people without benefiting personally from their success.

The minister called for a state burial in recognition of Orbih’s contributions to Edo’s political development and urged stakeholders to act.

‘I will continue to keep my relationship with Dan’s family. I think I will also discuss with the family on how to keep the legacies of Dan,’ he said.

Also speaking, Senator Magnus Abe, Chairman of the Board of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, said Orbih introduced him to politics.

Abe recalled serving as Director-General of Orbih’s first governorship campaign under the United Nigeria Congress Party and travelling across Edo with him.

‘Dan was indeed a bridge builder par excellence. We are gathered here today not because Dan is dead. We are gathered because of the life that he lived and that life impacted all of us in so many different ways,’ he said.

Former Edo governor and senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, said Orbih’s scrutiny as an opposition leader made him a better governor.

He said he often considered how Orbih would assess his decisions, prompting him to prepare more thoroughly before taking action.

‘So my happiness today is that Dan and I, whatever our political differences we might have had, the truth is, Dan made me a better governor,’ Oshiomhole said.

He urged the family to take consolation in Orbih’s contributions to unity, progress and the development of Ogbona kingdom.

Oshiomhole also thanked Wike for reconciling him with Orbih after a prolonged political disagreement.

‘It was right at Wike’s residence in Port Harcourt that Dan and I started hugging,’ he said.

In his tribute, Senator Sandy Onor described Orbih as a public intellectual, a defender of Edo heritage and a Nigerian patriot.

‘Dan was a great man by every measure, a true family man, a great husband, and a worthy father,’ Onor said.

…Says Port, LNG Projects to Transform Ogun Waterside into Energy, Maritime Hub

Governor Dapo Abiodun said approval has been granted for the construction of the J4-Gao Road in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State as part of measures to open up the axis and provide critical infrastructure to support the emerging investments in the area.

Abiodun disclosed this on Wednesday at an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ engagement meeting held in Ibiade, headquarters of Ogun Waterside Local Government Area.

The Governor, who lamented the prolonged neglect of the area by successive administrations, said the decision to construct the J4-Gao Road was informed by the strategic importance of Ogun Waterside to the State’s emerging economic and industrial landscape.

He also disclosed that the Federal Government had approved the construction of a four-kilometre bridge that would connect the local government to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing the development as a major infrastructure intervention that would facilitate access to the area and support the take-off of major investments planned for the axis.

According to him, the proposed infrastructure would complement the development of the Gateway Deep Sea Port and the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project, both of which are expected to significantly alter the economic profile of Ogun Waterside and strengthen the State’s position in the maritime, energy and logistics sectors.

Abiodun expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the development of the Deep Sea Port and other strategic projects in the area, saying the projects would position Ogun State as a major energy, maritime and international trade hub.

He announced that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Deep Sea Port had been scheduled for November, with construction expected to commence before the end of the year and be completed by 2030.

The Governor said the development of the port was the culmination of sustained efforts by his administration to create an enabling environment for large-scale investments, stressing that the administration had consistently pursued infrastructure and policy interventions designed to make Ogun more attractive to investors.

He noted that the Deep Sea Port and associated investments would create significant employment and business opportunities, particularly for young people and residents of Ogun Waterside.

The Governor therefore urged youths in the area to acquire the skills and competencies required to take advantage of the opportunities that would emerge from the projects.

‘These projects will change the economic fortunes of Ogun Waterside. Our young people must begin to prepare themselves now to take advantage of the opportunities that will come with these investments,’ he said.

Abiodun noted that the strategic investments in the area were expected to generate more than 50,000 direct employment opportunities, while also creating extensive opportunities across logistics, transportation, construction, hospitality, services, manufacturing and other sectors.

The Governor said the development of the Deep Sea Port would also complement Ogun’s growing industrial base and strategic location within the Lagos-Ogun economic corridor, further strengthening the State’s reputation as Nigeria’s industrial capital.

He described Ogun Waterside as strategically important to the State, noting that the local government has 126 polling units and about 62,000 registered voters.

Abiodun urged residents and APC members in the area to remain united and sustain their support for the party, saying continued political stability and support would help consolidate the gains recorded by the APC-led administrations at the State and Federal levels.

He called on party members to intensify mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections and urged voters to support APC candidates across the ballot, from the presidential election to the State House of Assembly.

The Governor assured the people that continued support for the party would strengthen the prospects for sustained development and effective representation.

Speaking at the event, the APC Presidential and Governorship Campaign Director-General, Senator Lekan Mustapha, urged residents to protect the development gains recorded in the area under the APC-led government.

Mustapha cautioned against taking political decisions that could jeopardise the ongoing transformation, urging the people to remain committed to the party and its candidates in the 2027 elections.

Also speaking, a former Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Segun Awonusi, commended Abiodun for what he described as his role in driving the development taking place in Ogun Waterside.

Awonusi expressed confidence that the people of the area would reciprocate the administration’s interventions with massive support for the APC in the 2027 elections.

The Chief of Air Staff CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has assured the families of the Nigeria Air force (NAF) personnel who lost their lives in the NAF-931 aircraft that the cause of the incident would be thoroughly investigated.

The NAF-931 carrying 25 personnel on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos on Monday, crashed in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Aneke, who led NAF Search Recovery Team to the crash site in Igbokoda on Thursday, assured families of the victims that NAF would ‘take necessary care of their welfare.’

The CAS who expressed sadness over the incident, said NAF has lost some of its most brilliant, intelligent and professional officers to the crash.

He commiserated with families of the personnel who lost their lives in the course of their service to the nation.

‘My job here is basically for two reasons, first, for the welfare of my people, to look at what is happening in recovery and then accountability.

‘On behalf of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and also officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces, I want to first express our deep sorrow and condolence to the families who have lost their loved ones in this tragic incident.

‘I basically knew everyone on that flight. I had flown on the aeroplane, my family has flown on it too, I know each of the crew personally, they are highly trained, professional, and intelligent officers.

‘The best we can do is to honour the sacrifice they have put forward by those on board aircraft and I want to assure the families of our loved ones that NAF will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the crash is properly investigated,’ Aneke said.

He said NAF would come up with a high-level delegation comprising both military and civilian safety experts, the National Safety and Investigation Bureau (NSIB), other relevant agencies, retired senior officers, experienced NAF officers among others to get to the root of the crash.

‘If you know the aviation environment, you will understand that the more activities we have, the more likelihood you have of incidents like this.

‘The best we can do for them is to be a little bit patient and let those who are the specialists get to the bottom of what has happened.

‘This is not the time to start speculating, and I plead with the general public, we have lost people who are fighting for the nation, they had put in their best and the best we can do is to be patient for specialists to get to the bottom, of the cause.

‘We at NAF, will leave no stone unturned, when it comes to safety, we ensure everything is safe before we get on board.

‘It is a very big loss, and no amount of words we put can bring succour or understanding to those who have lost their loved ones.

‘NAF will be putting everything possible to ensure that the families get the necessary support they need,’ Aneke said.

He noted that he has inspected the crash site (Ground Zero), giving assurance that the swamp buggies and other high level machines would help remove the wreckage of the crashed aircraft from the swamp.

He thanked residents of Igbokoda who were the first responders to the incident, for their efforts and quick responses, and also Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa for all the resources and machinery put in place in order to recover the wreckage of the aircraft.

Aneke also thanked the Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, Fire Fighters, Federal Road Safety Corps, other security agencies, rescue teams and other emergency authorities for all their efforts.

Meanwhile, Air Vice Marshal Ebimobo Ebiowe, the Superintendent of Safety and Standards said that frantic efforts had been made to recover the aircraft components and human parts from the swamp.

Ebiowe, who is also the Head of Investigation Team, said efforts were ongoing to recover ‘recoverable parts’ which would give preliminary investigation to the crash.

‘The preliminary investigation is not conclusive, it will only generate what has happened, the amount of factors like maintenance issue, weather, pilot error or other auxiliary reasons that were responsible for the crash.

‘The wreckage and other recovery are preserved and documented until we recover the critical components the aircraft.

‘We have deplored swam buggies to the crash site because it is a difficult terrain and we hope to find the critical components like ‘Black Box (Flight Data) and the ‘Cockpit Voice Recorder’ which will give proper insight to the crash.

‘We are making efforts to get to the root of the cause in order to forestall future occurrence,’ he said.

Suspected Lakurawa gunmen have killed a foreign national and two security personnel working at the Kebbi section of Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway project

Two civilians also sustained gunshot injuries in the attack, spokesperson for Kebbi Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, disclosed in a statement.

Usman said the ugly incident occurred at Gubba village, through Andarai District of Maiyama Local Government Area.

According to the Kebbi Police Command spokesperson, the armed men suspected to be Lakurawa terrorists, allegedly encroaching from the Kebbe axis of neighbouring Sokoto State, attacked the construction site, killing two security personnel and a foreign nationale.

He said two civilians were also injured in the attack and were subsequently evacuated for medical attention.

The police spokesperson added that, on the same day, another attack by the suspected terrorists along the Birnin Malam axis was successfully repelled by police teams.

He said joint security forces responded to the attacks, with tactical teams deployed to strengthen security and prevent further attacks.

The PPRO further disclosed that scores of the attackers were neutralised by military personnel, while several motorcycles were recovered.

Following the incident, construction activities at the affected site have been suspended as security agencies intensify surveillance and deploy additional personnel to the area.

The Kebbi Police Command spokesperson assured workers on the project of the government’s commitment to their safety, urging them to remain calm and resolute as security agencies continue efforts to safeguard their lives and property.

The Olowu of Kuta Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Hammed Adekunle Oyelude Makama, Tegbosun III, CON, has called on the newly deployed Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 11, Osogbo, AIG Bassey S. Ewah, to prioritise the rebuilding of public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force and strengthen security cooperation across Osun and Oyo States.

The monarch made the call on Thursday when he received the AIG at his palace in Kuta, Osun State, during a high-level engagement focused on security, community policing, traditional institutions and peaceful coexistence.

Oba Makama described AIG Ewah as an experienced and knowledgeable security professional, urging him to maintain the character and integrity for which he is known as he assumes responsibility for policing coordination across the two states.

He said the AIG’s arrival in Osun should provide an opportunity to further restore confidence between residents and security agencies, particularly following concerns surrounding security and public trust before and after elections.

According to him, the police must remain accessible to the people, stressing that effective policing depends significantly on information-sharing and cooperation between security agencies and the communities they serve.

He invoked the proverbial expression that ‘the bush does not shake without a cause,’ urging citizens to speak up whenever they notice suspicious developments or security concerns.

Oba Makama also called for stronger working relations between the police and the Osun State Government, noting that peace and security require cooperation among government, security agencies, traditional institutions and citizens.

The monarch said the AIG’s position carries significant responsibility because decisions and standards established at the zonal level would influence policing across the state commands under his jurisdiction.

He therefore expressed confidence that AIG Ewah would provide the leadership required to strengthen security ahead of future electoral activities.

Responding, AIG Ewah assured the people of Osun and Oyo States that his administration would operate an open-door policy and welcome constructive criticism from members of the public.

‘Our doors are open. There is no protocol to see us. We are ready to receive criticism, but constructively. It will help us to bring out the best in us,’ the AIG said.

He urged the Commissioners of Police in Osun and Oyo States to maintain open channels of communication with the public, encouraging residents to report security concerns directly to the appropriate authorities.

According to him, information supplied by members of the public would be treated seriously, while the identities of informants would be protected.

The AIG stressed the importance of a strong police-community partnership, noting that effective policing cannot be achieved without public cooperation and reliable information.

‘I look for a very strong synergy between the police and members of the public. That relationship is underpinned by my abiding respect for traditional institutions. Without them, we cannot police well,’ he said.

Ewah also acknowledged the cooperation extended to his predecessors, including former Zone 11 AIG Fasuba, and said he was bringing his operational experience from the North-East to his new assignment.

He noted that his previous responsibilities in the North-East, including Maiduguri, Borno and Yobe, had exposed him to complex security challenges and provided him with experience that could contribute to policing in Zone 11.

He said his administration would work closely with traditional rulers, stakeholders and political actors to promote peace and stability across Osun and Oyo.

The AIG advocated ‘politics without bitterness,’ urging political actors to put partisan differences aside when political contests are over and return to peaceful coexistence as members of the same society.

He said, irrespective of political differences, Nigerians remained connected by their common humanity and should not allow politics to destroy relationships or threaten peace.

Ewah’s remarks come against the backdrop of his recent assumption of office as the head of Zone 11, which comprises the Osun and Oyo State Police Commands.

The engagement at the Kuta palace therefore provided an early platform for the new zonal police leadership and the traditional institution to reinforce a shared commitment to intelligence-led policing, public confidence, community partnership and peaceful coexistence across the zone.

The Rivers State chapter of the Labour Party has backed the Rainbow Coalition being championed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Rivers LP Chairman, Fredrick Nwoje, announced the party’s position at a press conference in Port Harcourt, describing the coalition as an inclusive political platform bringing together leaders from different parties.

Nwoje said the involvement of politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, Labour Party and other groups showed Wike’s ability to bring different political interests together.

‘What Chief Wike has demonstrated with his rainbow coalition is that governance is bigger than party. While others preach unity, he practices it,’ he said.

The LP chairman said the coalition had created room for Rivers people to participate in governance regardless of their political affiliations.

He also described Wike as the National Leader of the Rainbow Coalition and commended his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

The endorsement comes amid opposition to the coalition from the APC Governors Forum, which has expressed concern about political arrangements involving members of rival parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

Nwoje criticised the governors’ position, accusing them of attacking Wike rather than confronting his political influence directly.

‘If they think Chief Wike has no political value, stop crying behind closed doors. Come out openly to the political field, campaign against him and his coalition,’ he said.

He also alleged that some former governors were lobbying at the Presidential Villa against the FCT minister.

Nwoje, however, said President Tinubu was capable of recognising those contributing to his administration.

On the Labour Party’s place within the coalition, the chairman assured members and candidates across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State that the party would not be sidelined.

‘Labour Party is not a spectator in this coalition. We are a major stakeholder,’ he said.

He added that the party expected to receive what he described as its fair share and rightful place within the arrangement.

Nwoje urged Rivers residents, particularly young people, to support the Rainbow Coalition, saying the political arrangement could contribute to peace and development in the state.