The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa State has formally adopted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the presidential candidate of the National Rainbow Coalition.

The adoption was announced at the joint meeting of the expanded State Caucus and the party’s 100th State Executive Committee, SEC, held at the PDP secretariat in Yenagoa.

According to a memo presented at the meeting, the decision is part of a cross-party political arrangement that allows participating parties to retain their individual candidates while backing agreed candidates at different levels. For the presidential race, the coalition settled for President Tinubu.

The meeting, led by the Bayelsa State PDP Chairman and leader of the Rainbow Coalition in the state, Chief George Alabh Turnah, also ratified a vote of confidence in the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, who is described as the national leader of the coalition. Turnah commended party members for remaining resolute despite the political realignments.

He explained that the coalition would intensify grassroots mobilisation across Bayelsa to secure victory for its preferred candidates, including those contesting for National and State Assembly seats under the Rainbow platform.

Clarifying the arrangement, Turnah noted in a subsequent interview that the PDP’s own presidential candidate, Senator Sandy Onor, remains in the race, but will mobilise his supporters to back President Tinubu as the coalition’s adopted presidential candidate. The coalition was earlier launched in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The development comes as the PDP-led Rainbow Coalition in Bayelsa unveiled its campaign timetable for the President’s re-election, which includes fasting and prayers, dedication service, inauguration of the coalition council, and flag-off ceremonies across the three senatorial districts.

Source: The Guardian Newspapers / Verified with ThisDay Live, Premium Times, and The Sun.