ABAKILIKI: Minister of Works and former Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has declared that there is no “Rainbow Coalition” in Ebonyi State, insisting that the state remains aligned with the All-Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates.
Umahi made the declaration amid ongoing disagreements involving Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and some APC governors over political arrangements ahead of the 2027 elections.
The minister spoke on Friday, September 25, 2026, while inspecting the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway in Benue State.
The Rainbow Coalition is a multi-party political platform associated with Wike and designed to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid while allowing politicians from different parties to retain their individual party affiliations and positions in other elections.
Addressing reports that a political arrangement similar to Wike’s coalition was taking shape in Ebonyi, Umahi said he was unaware of any such structure in the state.
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.
He also recalled his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party, arguing that the party failed to adequately recognise the interests of the South-East despite the region’s support for the party over the years.
The minister, however, said politicians were free to campaign in Ebonyi but warned against inflammatory rhetoric and actions capable of causing disorder.
Anybody that wants to campaign, come and campaign. But don’t dish out hate speeches,” he said, adding that nobody would be allowed to foment crisis in the state.
Umahi also responded to criticism over the distribution of Federal Government infrastructure projects, particularly claims that he had concentrated projects in the South-East.
He rejected the allegation, saying the projects were part of the broader infrastructure programme of the Tinubu administration.
According to the minister, the South-East may not rank first, second or third in terms of the distribution of federal projects, but he insisted that the region would not be left behind.
He cited the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway as one of the major projects being implemented by the Federal Government.
Section Two of the highway, he said, covers approximately 173.6 kilometres and has a contract value of about ₦683 billion, while Section One is valued at approximately ₦454 billion.
During the inspection, Umahi directed contractors not to demolish buildings along the existing alignment until the Federal Government completes its review and determines whether adjustments to the route are necessary.
He also ordered contractors to accelerate construction and open additional sections of the highway while engineers work on challenges surrounding the Ado Bridge.
The former Ebonyi governor also explained his political support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Umahi said his position was based on his assessment of the President’s policies, reforms and infrastructure programme.
He further argued that continuity was important for major infrastructure projects that require several years to complete, warning that a change in government could affect ongoing projects.
If, God forbid, another person says he’s President, all these projects will be stalled. And I don’t think Ebonyi wants their projects to be stalled, he said.
Umahi also addressed the nomination of his son as chairman of Ohaozara Local Government Area.
He said the nomination was made by Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru and not by him.
The minister said he had advised his son to ensure that development was distributed fairly across all 11 wards of the local government, rather than concentrating projects in their home community of Uburu.
