2027: Wike loyalist, Chinda poised to clinch APC Governorship ticket as Fubara, Cole, Kelly step down

Not even a last-minute switch in strategy, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, is all set to bag the governorship ticket of the dominant All Progressives Congress (APC) for the upcoming 2027 general election in Rivers State.

A known supporter of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Chinda has been viewed as a formidable candidate for the APC ticket. But what made him emerge more clearly was when some key candidates for the position decided to withdraw from the contest hours before the start of the primary elections.

One of the first to withdraw was the then incumbent Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, whose supporters had earlier been disqualified from the party’s primaries.

In a statement titled “My Decision to Withdraw from the Rivers State Gubernatorial Primaries,” Fubara described his decision as difficult but necessary, insisting that he acted in the interest of peace and unity in Rivers State.

“Leadership is ultimately about sacrifice. There comes a time when personal ambition must yield to the greater good of the people. Rivers State is bigger than any individual, and at this critical moment, the peace, stability, and unity of our dear state must take precedence over every personal interest,” he stated.

Fubara thanked his supporters for standing by him throughout the political process, adding that his silence over the period was deliberate and guided by the need to protect the state from further political tension.

“As our elders say, not everything a hunter sees in the forest is spoken of in the marketplace. Some truths are best borne quietly, not out of fear, but out of wisdom and restraint for the sake of peace and a greater purpose,” he added.

Also withdrawing from the race was Tonye Cole, the APC governorship candidate in the 2023 election.

In a personally signed statement, Cole said his decision followed consultations with party leaders and stakeholders after a crucial meeting convened by the national leadership of the APC.

“As a committed democrat and a firm believer in the supremacy of strong institutions as the foundation for sustainable development, I have consistently advocated for dialogue, reconciliation, and unity among the various stakeholders and factions within the Rivers State chapter of our great party,” he said.

Cole explained that he stepped down in the overriding interest of party unity and collective progress ahead of the 2027 elections.

The third aspirant to withdraw was former Rivers State Commissioner for Works, George Kelly.

Unlike the others, Kelly openly acknowledged Wike’s influence in his political journey and pledged loyalty to what he described as the “Rainbow Coalition” working for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Referencing Psalm 33:11, Kelly said the decision to withdraw followed extensive consultations and strategic discussions aimed at preserving party unity.

“In recent days, the national leadership of our great party convened a crucial stakeholders’ meeting, during which extensive and far-reaching deliberations were undertaken regarding the future of the APC in Rivers State,” he stated.

“Following that meeting, and after wide consultations with members of my political team and other critical stakeholders, I have taken the decision, in the overriding interest of party unity and in deference to the supremacy of the party, to withdraw from the forthcoming primaries.”