Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and key figures linked to the political coalition in Rivers State have reportedly held a strategic meeting in Spain as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.
The meeting, which reportedly took place in Malaga, involved Wike, South-South Development Commission executive director Marcus Nle Ejii, University of Port Harcourt Chancellor Senator Mao Ohabunwa and Rivers State APC governorship candidate Kingsley Ogundu Chinda.
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara was not reported to be part of the gathering, despite having publicly aligned himself with the Wike-led Rainbow Coalition earlier in the year.
Details of the discussions have not been publicly disclosed. However, the timing is significant because the Independent National Electoral Commission has opened the campaign period for the February 6, 2027 Rivers governorship election.
The meeting therefore places renewed attention on the coalition’s plans for Rivers State and the political calculations surrounding the contest to succeed Fubara.
The reported meeting comes at a critical stage in Rivers State politics.
Campaigning for the 2027 governorship election began on September 8, putting political parties and alliances under pressure to move from internal negotiations to voter mobilisation.
The major issues surrounding the Spain meeting include:
- 2027 election planning: The gathering comes immediately after the formal commencement of governorship campaigns.
- Wike’s political influence: The FCT minister remains a major figure in Rivers politics and the coalition backing the APC ticket.
- Kingsley Chinda’s candidacy: Chinda is positioned as the coalition’s candidate for governor.
- Fubara’s absence: The governor’s non-participation has generated questions because he previously endorsed the coalition and Chinda.
- Coalition coordination: The meeting could help align political actors ahead of the campaign, although its specific agenda remains undisclosed.
No official statement detailing the resolutions reached in Spain had been made public at the time of reporting.
Fubara’s absence from the Spain meeting needs to be viewed against the backdrop of the political reconciliation that has taken place between him and Wike.
In July, Fubara publicly declared support for the Rainbow Coalition and endorsed Chinda, while also backing President Bola Tinubu’s bid for another term in 2027.
The declaration marked a significant shift after the prolonged political dispute between Fubara and Wike that dominated Rivers politics.
Fubara described himself as having returned to his political family and urged his supporters to align with the coalition.
That reconciliation was reinforced by a meeting between Fubara and Wike in Port Harcourt on August 30. Chinda and former senator Magnus Abe were also present at the meeting, indicating that discussions about the political future of Rivers remained active.
Against that background, Fubara’s absence from the latest gathering in Spain is politically noteworthy, although there is no evidence that his absence signals a breakdown in the reconciliation.
Chinda has increasingly become a central figure in the coalition’s preparations for the Rivers governorship election.
Wike has previously been associated with efforts to determine the coalition’s preferred successor to Fubara, while Fubara’s decision not to seek another term removed a major point of contention within the political structure.
Earlier reports had indicated that Wike wanted the coalition to collectively determine Fubara’s successor rather than repeat what he described as the mistake of personally imposing a candidate.
However, Chinda has since emerged as the APC governorship candidate backed by both Wike and Fubara, giving the Rivers contest a clearer political direction.
His presence at the Spain meeting, alongside Wike and other influential coalition figures, underscores his importance to the coalition’s campaign strategy.
With campaigning now underway, the focus is expected to shift from reconciliation to electoral organisation, candidate mobilisation and efforts to consolidate support across Rivers State.
The coalition will also have to manage expectations among its different political blocs, particularly as members of the APC, PDP and other political groups have been involved in the broader Rainbow Coalition arrangement.
For Fubara, his previous endorsement of Chinda remains a significant political statement even though he was not reported to have attended the Spain meeting.
The significance of the latest gathering will ultimately depend on whether the participants translate their discussions into a coordinated campaign structure and a clear message to Rivers voters.
For now, the exact resolutions from the Spain meeting remain undisclosed. What is clear is that the political contest over who succeeds Fubara has entered a more active phase, with Wike and Chinda among the figures at the centre of the coalition’s 2027 strategy.
