The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Farah Dagogo, has accused the Rainbow Coalition led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of contributing to the economic hardship and underdevelopment in the state.
Speaking during a strategic stakeholders’ consultation in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the former House of Representatives member described the coalition—comprising the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP) and African Alliance (AA)—as a political alliance that has prioritised personal interests over the welfare of Rivers people.
According to Dagogo, the coalition has benefited from the state’s stagnation and would face the verdict of voters in the 2027 general election.
“The Rainbow Coalition is against the people of Rivers State. They are the bearers of the chains holding the state back. They have benefited from the retrogression of our state and are determined to sustain it,” he said.
He vowed to lead what he described as the liberation of Rivers State through people-oriented governance, insisting that residents were ready to reject what he called “recycled failure.”
Dagogo also criticised attempts to credit President Bola Tinubu’s administration solely for the completion of the Bodo-Bonny Road project, arguing that construction was already about 95 per cent complete before the current administration assumed office.
He alleged that the coalition was attempting to rewrite history by claiming responsibility for projects initiated by previous administrations.
Recalling events surrounding the project’s flag-off in 2017, Dagogo claimed the Rivers State Government at the time tried to frustrate the Federal Government’s groundbreaking ceremony by preventing the use of public school facilities in Bonny Local Government Area.
He said he opposed the move in his capacity as Chairman of the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Education, arguing that politics should not interfere with projects that benefit the people.
Outlining his vision for the state, Dagogo promised to prioritise education, healthcare, security, reliable electricity, employment, affordable housing and economic empowerment if elected governor.
He also pledged to dedicate five per cent of the state’s annual budget to youth entrepreneurship, alongside programmes aimed at improving infrastructure, boosting agriculture and supporting small businesses across the state’s 23 local government areas.
“We are not coming to manage poverty; we are coming to end it. The time has come for Rivers State to move forward, and with your mandate, we will serve the people, not rule over them,” he said.
