A factional governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Cross River State, Julius Udayi, has declared the collapse of the Rainbow Coalition in the state following the resignation of the party’s state @chairman, Venatius Ikem.
Udayi, who belongs to the faction loyal to the Tanimu Turiaki-led caretaker committee, made the declaration on Saturday in Calabar while reacting to Ikem’s departure from the party last week.
He urged PDP members to remain committed to the party despite the ongoing leadership dispute, expressing confidence that the development would mark the end of the political alliance.
Udayi told party members to be “calm, steadfast and united as they watch the ill-fated so called Rainbow Coalition fade away in Cross River State with their perpetrators.”
The factional governorship candidate alleged that Ikem, whom he described as having been “imposed by the Wike’s faction as a factional chairman,” was assigned to promote and secure electoral victories for candidates associated with the Rainbow Coalition in accordance with the political strategy of Governor Nyesom Wike.
Udayi further suggested that Ikem’s resignation could be linked to the anticipated ruling of the Court of Appeal on the lingering dispute over the party’s leadership and candidates in Cross River State.
“The chaff will soon be separated from the weeds so we can focus and work towards winning the 2027 general elections in the state,” he stated.
Reaffirming his position on the party’s internal dispute, Udayi maintained that he, Ebri Inah and other aspirants nominated by the Turaki-led executive remained the legitimate candidates of the PDP in the state.
He also interpreted Ikem’s decision to leave the party as a setback for Wike’s political interests in Cross River, arguing that the former chairman’s legal background made his resignation particularly significant.
Udayi described Ikem’s departure as a sign that the political strategy he attributed to Wike was losing ground in the state.
While commending Ikem for what he characterised as sportsmanship and repentance, Udayi called on his supporters to remain optimistic and conduct themselves peacefully as they await the court’s decision.
He expressed confidence that the forthcoming judgment would validate the candidates backed by his faction ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The dispute reflects the continuing divisions within the Cross River PDP, with rival factions contesting the party’s leadership and the legitimacy of candidates selected for future elections. Udayi’s assertions about the coalition’s collapse and the status of the competing candidates remain his faction’s position pending the resolution of the legal dispute.
