Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared his support for the Rainbow Coalition, a political alliance comprising members of different political parties in the state and led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Fubara made the declaration on Wednesday during the groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction and equipping of the Riven Medical Facility, a public-private partnership pharmaceutical manufacturing project in Rivers State.
The governor endorsed President Bola Tinubu for re-election in 2027 and identified Kingsley China as his preferred governorship candidate, urging his supporters to vote for all candidates presented by the Rainbow Coalition.
Declaring an end to the political tensions that had characterised the state in recent years, Fubara said peace and unity must now take precedence over political differences.
“I am supporting our Rainbow Coalition. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is our President, and he is the one we are supporting. The governorship candidate is the candidate I am supporting, and anybody who believes in me will support every candidate under the Rainbow Coalition,” he said.
Fubara dismissed suggestions that he should delay aligning with the coalition, insisting that he had already made his decision.
“I am already in the family. I have returned to our family. Give your total support to the coalition. The time of war is over; it is now time for peace, and that peace will take us to another level,” he added.
The governor also cautioned against actions capable of creating fresh political divisions, saying he would not be part of any agenda that could undermine the prevailing peace in the state.
“I am not party to anything that will bring any form of disunity in this state. We have done what we need to do, and now we are moving forward,” he said.
Speaking on the Riven Medical Facility project, Fubara reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to its successful delivery, noting that he agreed to support the investment after receiving assurances from the promoters and relevant government officials regarding its viability and implementation timeline.
He said the first phase of the pharmaceutical manufacturing facility is expected to be completed within three months, describing it as a strategic investment that will boost industrialisation, create employment opportunities and position Rivers State as a hub for the production of medical consumables.
According to the governor, the project is expected to stimulate economic activity, attract local and international patronage, and encourage the growth of ancillary industries around the facility.
Fubara also pledged the state government’s full support for the investors and appealed to the host community to cooperate with the company to ensure the project’s success.
He stressed the need to protect investor confidence by avoiding contractual disputes, disclosing that the state government is currently involved in litigation with several companies over claims exceeding ₦200 billion.
The governor assured the investors that the government would continue to monitor the project’s implementation and expressed optimism that the first phase would be inaugurated within the next three months.
