Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has thrown his weight behind the Rainbow Coalition championed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, declaring his readiness to support any political arrangement committed to securing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
The governor made the declaration during a media chat on Saturday, where he addressed the emerging political alliances involving members of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
He stressed that his interest was not in the identity or name of any political coalition but in its commitment to Tinubu’s second-term bid.
Eno indicated that he would readily associate with the Rainbow Coalition or any other political platform pursuing the president’s re-election, irrespective of its political affiliation.
The Rainbow Coalition, a political initiative linked to Wike, is bringing together politicians from different parties who share a common position on extending Tinubu’s presidency beyond 2027.
Expressing his understanding of the coalition’s objectives, the governor said its central message was support for the incumbent president.
“That rainbow coalition is simply saying that we support President Tinubu as the president,” Eno said.
He further emphasised that the name attached to the alliance would not influence his decision to participate, provided its principal objective remained the president’s return to office.
“If I will join and be a member of any coalition — whether it is rainbow, call it any name. Any coalition that the central point is supporting the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; I am for it.”
Beyond his endorsement of the coalition, Eno also highlighted the growing political understanding between the APC and PDP in Akwa Ibom, describing the relationship between members of both parties as positive.
According to the governor, differences in party affiliation have not stopped political stakeholders in the state from establishing common ground on issues surrounding the forthcoming elections. He suggested that the cooperation was driven by shared political interests and an understanding of how key elective positions should be supported.
Eno maintained that the relationship between the two parties had remained cordial and expressed confidence in their ability to sustain the arrangement.
“I will work with all of them, and I think we are good on the ground in Akwa Ibom when it comes to the PDP-APC relationship,” the governor said.
He also disclosed that the political understanding reached by stakeholders in the state covered several positions expected to be contested in 2027, including the presidency, Senate presidency and governorship.
“We have agreed on the fact that we are supporting the president, we are supporting the senate president, we are supporting the governor, and we have our clear understanding about those things.”
Meanwhile, the Rainbow Coalition has continued to attract mixed reactions within the APC, with some party leaders expressing concerns about the possible consequences of political movements operating outside the party’s established structures.
In September, APC stakeholders in the South-East aligned themselves with the position of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, which advocated support for candidates contesting under the ruling party in the next general elections.
The regional party leaders also raised objections to the Rainbow Coalition, referring to it as the “Rainbow (chameleon) Coalition”. They warned that political alliances operating independently of the APC could undermine the party’s organisational structures and electoral prospects in the region.
The opposition reflected broader concerns among some APC stakeholders about the coalition’s activities and the possibility of competing political interests affecting the party’s candidates in 2027.
The Progressive Governors’ Forum had earlier stressed the need to protect the electoral interests of APC candidates while ensuring that political arrangements remained consistent with the party’s broader objectives, including Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
Wike, despite remaining a member of the PDP, has continued to feature prominently in political discussions surrounding the president’s second-term ambition, largely because of his support for Tinubu and his engagements with politicians across party lines.
In January, the FCT minister offered further insight into the philosophy behind the Rainbow Coalition, describing it as a political initiative that was not restricted by conventional party boundaries.
He presented the movement as a broader platform through which individuals from different political backgrounds could work together in pursuit of the country’s interests.
However, the coalition’s emergence has also generated unease among some APC governors, particularly those concerned about the participation of their party members in political arrangements outside officially recognised party structures.
One of the prominent voices to express such reservations was Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who, in October, cautioned APC members in his state against associating with political coalitions operating outside the ruling party.
Uzodimma reportedly warned that campaigners who disregarded his directive risked losing vehicles distributed to them for political mobilisation.
Despite his opposition to members participating in external political alliances, the Imo governor reiterated his support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition. He argued that the president deserved another opportunity to continue implementing and consolidating the reforms introduced by his administration.
The differing positions among APC governors and other political stakeholders underscore the emerging debate over the role of cross-party alliances in shaping the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
