There’s no ‘rainbow coalition’ in Ebonyi, says Umahi

David Umahi, minister of works, says there is no “rainbow coalition” in Ebonyi state.

The rainbow coalition is a political group led by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Speaking on Friday while inspecting section two of the Calabar-Abuja superhighway project in Ado, Benue state, Umahi said Ebonyi remains aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by Francis Nwaze, his senior special assistant on media, the former Ebonyi governor cautioned politicians planning to campaign in the state against hate speech and actions capable of triggering unrest.

“Nobody can foment crisis in Ebonyi state,” Umahi said.

“If Wike has candidates here, he has not told me. And his candidate cannot break our relationship, but his candidate is not part of our relationship. There is no rainbow coalition in Ebonyi state.”

Umahi said politicians are free to campaign in Ebonyi but warned against inflammatory rhetoric.

“Anybody that wants to campaign, come and campaign. But don’t dish out hate speeches and you want to take those speeches, and you want that we should lay a red carpet for you. We will not do that,” the minister said.

The former Ebonyi governor also accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of failing to recognise the interests of the south-east despite the region’s support for its presidential candidates.

“We supported the PDP. We voted for presidents in the PDP. And when it was our time for them to honour us, they did not honour us. They mistreated us,” Umahi added.