2027: ‘There Is No Rainbow Coalition in Ebonyi’ — Umahi

Minister of Works and former Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has said there is no Rainbow Coalition structure in Ebonyi State, insisting that the state remains aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Rainbow Coalition is a multi-party political platform associated with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, which seeks to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu while allowing politicians to maintain their party affiliations.

Umahi spoke on Friday, September 25, 2026, while inspecting Section Two of the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway project in Ado, Benue State.

According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, Umahi said he was not aware of any Rainbow Coalition candidates in Ebonyi.

“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.

The minister also cautioned politicians intending to campaign in Ebonyi against hate speech and rhetoric that could trigger unrest.

“Anybody that wants to campaign, come and campaign. But don’t dish out hate speeches,” he said, adding that no political actor would be allowed to foment crisis in the state.

Umahi’s comments come amid political disagreements involving Wike and some APC governors over political arrangements ahead of the 2027 elections.

The former governor also revisited his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alleging that the party failed to adequately recognise the interests of the South-East despite the region’s support for its presidential candidates.

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