By Ade Oyeyemi
The Nasarawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has thrown its weight behind the Rainbow Coalition promoted by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party’s governorship candidate, David Ombugadu, made the position known on Saturday during the formal commencement of his campaign in Lafia, the state capital.
Ombugadu, who addressed party leaders and supporters from the 13 local government areas, said the state chapter had embraced the coalition and would await further political direction from Wike.
“We want to affirm today that the entire Nasarawa State stands for Rainbow Coalition. We are all united in support of our national leader,” he said.
He added that members of the party in the state would follow Wike’s political direction, saying, “Wherever he goes, we will go.”
The PDP candidate also appealed to party stakeholders attending the campaign launch from Abuja to convey the goodwill of Nasarawa members to the FCT minister, whom he described as a national leader.
Beyond the coalition, Ombugadu outlined some of the issues he said would form the focus of his campaign, including security, healthcare, agriculture and the development of Nasarawa’s mineral resources.
He noted that the state was endowed with deposits such as gold, lithium and wolframite, but argued that the resources had not translated into sufficient economic benefits for residents.
Ombugadu promised that, if elected, his administration would prioritise healthcare for vulnerable residents, improve security for farmers and adopt what he described as an inclusive approach to governance.
He said decisions on development projects would be informed by the needs of communities rather than the interests of a single individual.
“We will all sit down and look at what you need in your locality,” he said.
The candidate also urged supporters to protect their votes during the election, arguing that securing the ballot would be necessary to achieve the government they wanted.
Speaking at the event, the PDP National Deputy Chairman, North, Yusuf Nya Agirikwe, urged party members to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the election.
Agirikwe said the party had a strong political base in the state and charged supporters to convince more residents to vote for its candidates.
“Go and tell your friends that PDP is the winning party. Go out and bring your votes,” he said.
The development comes amid an ongoing debate over Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, which the FCT minister has described as a cross-party platform focused on mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election while allowing politicians to retain their respective party affiliations.
The coalition has, however, faced opposition from some APC governors, who have argued that political support for Tinubu should not be separated from support for APC candidates in other elections.
Ombugadu, who was the PDP candidate in the 2019 and 2023 Nasarawa governorship elections, is again seeking the party’s ticket in the 2027 contest.
