Rainbow Coalition: Nnamani faults APC Governor’s forum

*Endorses Wike’s support for Tinubu

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staunch member in Enugu State, Chief Samson Chukwu Nnamani has urged the Progressives Governor’s Forum under Governor Hope Uzodinma not to reduce any support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to only card carrying members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but to see it as
a national political project that goes beyound party lines and affiliations.

Chief Nnamani who has thrown his weight behind the Rainbow Coalition put together by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike said narrowing president Tinubu’s support to only APC members violates the constitutionally guaranteed rights of freedom of association under sections 39 and 40 of the constitution of Nigeria as amended and should not be encouraged.

Chief Nnamani reminded APC governors not to overlook the distinction between support for a presidential candidate and partisan contests for other elective positions,stressing that cross-party political movement should not be misconstrued as an attempt to undermine the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a strong worded statement, Chief Nnamani stated unequivocally that the opposition of the APC Governors Forum against Wike’s coalition seeking to galvanize support for President Tinubu’s re-election cannot be treated as the exclusive responsibility of only APC or designed to compel members of other political parties to abandon their identities, structures or candidates in other elections.

Nnamani emphasized that Wike is constitutionally allowed to make his set of choices and mobilize support for President Tinubu regardless his political affiliations, stressing even within the APC , not all card carrying members are under constitutional obligation to support candidates of their party .

He pointed out that Nigeria’s multiparty democracy allows for multiple options and convictions of voters, stressing that a politician could support a presidential candidate from another party while retaining membership of his or her own party and contesting other elective positions under that party.

He argued that the Rainbow Coalition should therefore be viewed principally as a presidential mobilisation platform, rather than a merger, defection arrangement or attempt to transform the PDP into an appendage of the APC.

He held the view that the FCT minister has clearly made his stands to mobilise support for Tinubu in the presidential election while allowing the PDP and other participating political parties to field candidates for governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and state Houses of Assembly elections clear and unambiguous, adding that a similar scenario happened during the 2023 presidential elections.

He recalled that members of the G5 governors’ group, led by Wike, supported Tinubu’s presidential bid in 2023 despite remaining members of the PDP and participating in other electoral contests under the party’s platform.

He such developments are clear indications that Nigerians are becoming more politically enlightened and becoming more politically conscious .

Speaking in defense of the former Rivers state Governor, Chief Nnamani said Wike had never presented the Rainbow Coalition as an APC structure or a mechanism for taking over the ruling party, but as a coalition made up of politicians and supporters from different parties who were satisfied with the Tinubu candidature and worthy of their their support in the 2027 presidential election.

He cited Wike’s own description of the initiative as “a platform for other political parties that are pleased with the good works of Tinubu and are supporting his re-election,” and faulted APC Governors position that the coalition will weaken the momentum of the President or the party .

He said: “The Rainbow Coalition is not an APC project, neither is it a platform designed to destroy or weaken the APC. It is a broad-based political mobilisation platform for Nigerians and politicians from different political parties who have decided to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the presidency in 2027.

“Those who belong to the coalition do not, by that decision, cease to be members of their political parties. They retain their identities, structures and political interests, particularly at the state and legislative levels.

“Presidential politics is not the same thing as every other contest on the ballot. A person can support Tinubu for president and still support the candidate of his or her party for governor or the National Assembly. That is democracy,” he said.

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