African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Gabriel Pidomson, has declared that voters will determine who governs the state in 2027, warning against what he described as attempts by political blocs to impose a governor on the electorate.
Pidomson made the remarks in Port Harcourt while speaking on his campaign preparations and the political alignments ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
“The 2027 election is not just between Pidomson and the others. It is going to be Rivers people versus others,” he said.
Taking aim at the political structure associated with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike, Pidomson declared that the state belonged to its people.
“Rivers State is nobody’s private estate. It is our common patrimony,” he said.
His comments come amid the emergence of the so-called Rainbow Coalition in Rivers, a political arrangement involving the APC, PDP, Labour Party and Action Alliance.
Wike said in May that the coalition had not selected its governorship candidate and that the eventual choice would be made collectively by its leadership.
Pidomson dismissed the coalition’s influence and said the ADC would “eclipse their rainbow” at the polls.
“I can assure you that the real people are not with them. And we shall eclipse their rainbow next year,” he said.
The ADC candidate also questioned Wike’s political influence over Rivers State, asking what projects the FCT minister had attracted to the state since leaving office as governor.
“As a minister of the FCT, tell me one project that Nyesom Wike has brought to the state,” Pidomson said.
He also alleged that political appointments influenced by Wike had largely benefited his associates.
Pidomson said his campaign had conducted consultations across Rivers and engaged ethnic and community groups, claiming that the meetings showed a desire for what he called a “responsive and responsible” government.
He said his 10-point policy agenda would focus on the welfare and development of Rivers residents.
Pidomson emerged as the ADC’s governorship candidate after the party’s May primary, defeating five other aspirants in voting conducted across the state’s 319 wards and 23 local government areas.
On election security, Pidomson said the ADC would deploy agents to polling units to monitor voting and collation.
“Our agents will be on red alert to monitor the units across the state,” he said.
He urged voters to remain at their polling units until results were announced, arguing that such vigilance would make it harder for anyone to manipulate the process.
Pidomson also called on the police, Department of State Services and other security agencies to protect the rights of political parties to campaign across Rivers.
He alleged that some ADC activities had been disrupted by members of the ruling APC and called for investigations into such incidents.
The candidate also rejected suggestions that opposition from some Ogoni leaders could undermine his campaign, arguing that political leaders could not automatically dictate how voters would cast their ballots.
“The so-called leaders you are talking about are just a handful of those who have benefitted from this current system. They cannot sway the position or choice of the people,” he said.
Pidomson further urged Rivers voters not to be intimidated by political groups, insisting that the votes of the people should determine the outcome of the election.
“The votes of the people will count. The vote will be protected. No amount of rigging will prevail in the state,” he said.
His comments add to the increasingly competitive political contest in Rivers, where the ADC is positioning itself outside the Rainbow Coalition while the coalition continues to work towards a common governorship candidate.
