Wike’s Camp Produces Rivers State PDP Governorship Candidate

By Adesina Soyooye

The political space in Rivers State is, everyday, getting more confusing, if not interesting, especially, with the nomination of Sam Ejekwu as the Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the 2027 General Elections.

What makes it interesting is that Ejekwu, a former Commissioner for Transportation in the State is a core loyalist of Nyesom Wike, Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

The confusion stems from the fact that another core Wike loyalist and confidante, Kingsley Chinda, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, and until recently, the Minority Leader of the PDP, has been picked and endorsed by Wike as a fit and proper successor of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in 2027.

Fubara was ditched as a Candidate and was not given the first choice of refusal by the APC, a courtesy extended to his other first-term-in-office colleagues.

During an inspection of road projects in Abuja on Monday, May 25, Wike endorsed Chinda as the anointed next Governor of the State. But Ejekwu was, on Monday, announced by an Electoral Committee headed by Tajudeen Yusuf, as the PDP consensus Candidate.

Dr. Kenneth Yowika, PDP Rivers State Spokesperson,   has confirmed that Ejekwu contested unopposed to pick the ticket in a smooth and transparent process.

Speaking, the candidate expressed confidence in the capacity of the PDP to win the election.

Recall, however that Wike who calls the shots in his faction of the PDP at the National level, had let it be known that he us the leader of both the PDP and APC in Rivers State. He had, also, let it be known that in the State, both parties are working together; that there is no PDP or APC. What exists in Rivers State, he said, is a Rainbow Coalition, which he swore would produce all the candidates for the 2027 General elections and, would vote for President Bola Tinubu. So far, the Rainbow Coalition has succeeded in producing all the Candidates from State to National Assemblies, and now Governorship candidates.

With Chinda as the candidate of the APC, and Ejekwu as that of the PDP, it means that Wike’s Rainbow Coalition has produced the Governorship candidates for the two main parties in the State. Said one commentator: “Either way, Wike wins except there is a strong competition from the African Democratic Congress or Nigeria Democratic Congress, but I don’t see that happening. He wins.”