2027: Umahi Rules Out Rainbow Coalition in Ebonyi

Former Ebonyi State Governor and Minister of Works, David Umahi, said on Friday that there is no Rainbow Coalition in Ebonyi State, maintaining that the state remains aligned with the All Progressives Congress and its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

Umahi made the clarification during an inspection of Section Two of the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway in Ado, Benue State, amid the ongoing disagreement between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and some APC governors over the Rainbow Coalition.

The coalition, promoted by Wike, is a cross-party political platform seeking support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election while allowing members of other parties to retain their political identities and pursue candidates in other elections.

Speaking about his relationship with Wike and reports that a similar political arrangement was being created in Ebonyi, Umahi said he was not aware of any Wike-backed candidate operating within the political arrangement in the state. He maintained that such a candidate would not be part of the political structure he leads in Ebonyi.

The minister also revisited his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party, saying the party failed to adequately address the interests of the South-East despite the region’s support for its presidential candidates over the years.

Umahi said politicians were free to campaign in Ebonyi ahead of the 2027 elections but warned against the use of hate speech or actions capable of causing disorder in the state.

His comments came amid the growing disagreement between Wike and some APC governors over the Rainbow Coalition. While Wike has described the platform as a broad political arrangement for supporting Tinubu across party lines, some APC governors have raised concerns about political structures that could affect the party and its candidates.

Umahi also spoke about his support for Tinubu and rejected claims that he had directed federal infrastructure projects mainly to the South-East.

The minister said the projects being executed by the Federal Government were part of a wider national infrastructure programme and were not personally controlled by him. He argued that the South-East was receiving its share of federal projects, although he acknowledged that the region might not rank among the first three areas in terms of the number of projects.

He urged Nigerians to assess the Tinubu administration by looking at projects currently under construction rather than relying only on campaign promises.

Umahi pointed to the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway as one of the major projects being carried out by the Federal Government. He said Section Two of the road covers about 173.6 kilometres and has a contract value of about N683 billion, while Section One is valued at roughly N454 billion.

During the inspection, Umahi directed contractors working on the highway not to demolish buildings located along the current route until the Federal Government completes its review of the alignment.

He instructed the contractors to continue construction around affected buildings while engineers consider possible adjustments to the route.

The minister also ordered contractors to increase the pace of work and open additional sections of the highway while technical issues around the Ado Bridge are being addressed.

Umahi linked his support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election to his assessment of the administration’s reforms and infrastructure programme. He said continuity was necessary for major projects that require several years to complete.

According to him, a change in government could affect the progress of ongoing projects, including those being executed in Ebonyi State.

On the nomination of his son as chairman of Ohaozara Local Government Area, Umahi said the decision was made by Governor Francis Nwifuru and not by him.

He said he had advised his son to ensure that development was shared fairly among all 11 wards in the local government, rather than concentrating projects in Uburu, where the family originates.

The minister’s comments come as political activity increases ahead of the 2027 elections, with disagreements over alliances, party structures and support for presidential candidates continuing across the country.