Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has formally declared support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid and the governorship aspiration of Hon. Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, announcing an end to the prolonged political crisis in the state.
Speaking on Wednesday at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Riven Medical Industries Project in Port Harcourt, Fubara said rival political camps in Rivers State had resolved their differences and agreed to work together in the interest of peace, stability and development.
The governor revealed that he had aligned with the Rainbow Coalition, a political platform associated with former Rivers State Governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and urged his supporters across the state to rally behind its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We have made peace in the state and I am supporting our Rainbow Coalition. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is our president, and is the one we are supporting. OK Chinda is the governorship candidate that I am supporting and anybody who believes in me will support him and every other candidate that is under the Rainbow Coalition,” Fubara declared.
He described his decision as a return to his political family, stressing that the period of confrontation in Rivers State had come to an end.
“I’ve gone back to our family. So, please, whoever you are, give your total support to the Rainbow Coalition. We need to move forward. The time of war is over. It is time for peace and this peace is taking us to another level,” he said.
The governor urged his supporters to embrace the broader political arrangement rather than focus on personal loyalties, insisting that his priority remained the unity and stability of Rivers State.
“I’m not party to anything that will bring any form of disunity in this state. I’ve done what I need to do and we are moving forward,” he added.
Beyond politics, Fubara described the Riven Medical Industries Project as a landmark investment that would accelerate industrialisation, strengthen healthcare delivery and stimulate economic growth in the state.
He, however, cautioned investors against abandoning projects after securing government support, noting that previous investment partnerships had ended in disputes and litigation.
The governor said the state approved the project based on confidence in the investors’ capacity to revive the facility, generate employment and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economy.
He directed the developers to adhere strictly to the implementation schedule, particularly the completion of the first phase within three months, while calling on host communities and the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area administration to provide a peaceful environment for the project’s success.
The Riven Medical Industries Project is a Public-Private Partnership between the Rivers State Government and Enbay Pharmaceutical Industries Limited to transform the former Integrated Medical Industries (IMI) into a modern pharmaceutical manufacturing hub.
Upon completion, the facility is expected to produce pharmaceutical formulations, gelatine capsules, intravenous infusions and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), significantly boosting Nigeria’s local drug manufacturing capacity and reducing dependence on imported medicines.
The project is also projected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, facilitate technology transfer, attract fresh investments and strengthen the country’s healthcare supply chain.
Fubara’s endorsement of President Tinubu and Chinda marks a significant political realignment in Rivers State and signals a major shift in the state’s political landscape as preparations gather momentum for the 2027 general elections.
