The Kwara State chapter of the Accord Party has predicted that the Rainbow Coalition will fail to make a significant electoral impact in the state in the 2027 elections, arguing that the alliance lacks the grassroots support and clear political message needed to win voters’ confidence.
The party’s position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by its State Publicity Secretary, Olamilekan Esinrogunjo, a copy of which was obtained by PUNCH Online in Ilorin.
Commenting on the emerging political alignment ahead of the elections, the party faulted the coalition’s political strategy, describing it as an alliance driven more by elite interests and personality battles than a shared governance agenda.
It particularly questioned the coalition’s position on the 2027 presidential and governorship elections, arguing that its reported combination of opposition politics in Kwara with support for President Bola Tinubu at the federal level could undermine its credibility among voters.
The party’s statement partly read, “You cannot claim to be opposition in Kwara and, at the same time, ask the same people to support the APC at the presidential level. That contradiction is one of the fundamental problems of the Rainbow Coalition.”
The opposition party also dismissed the assumption that the movement of prominent politicians across party lines would automatically translate into electoral support, insisting that political alliances among influential figures did not necessarily reflect the preferences of ordinary voters.
“They can make noise here and there. Politicians can move from one party to another, but votes do not move automatically with them. An alliance of politicians is not necessarily an alliance of voters,” the statement added.
It argued that the coalition’s reliance on political heavyweights and former officeholders to mobilise support for the Saraki political dynasty was unlikely to produce the expected electoral gains without a clear programme capable of addressing the concerns of the electorate.
According to the party, the coalition has yet to demonstrate what it intends to offer the people beyond political realignments, raising questions about its purpose and the policy direction it would pursue if elected.
“What is the Rainbow Coalition offering Kwarans beyond political realignment? Is it an opposition platform, a vehicle for supporting the President, a return to the defeated dynasty or simply an arrangement among politicians seeking new political opportunities?” the party asked.
The Accord Party maintained that the 2027 elections would be determined by the ability of political parties and their candidates to connect with voters through credible programmes, grassroots engagement and solutions to the state’s challenges, rather than endorsements and defections alone.
It said the people of Kwara would ultimately determine the outcome of the elections, warning political actors against assuming that the electorate’s support could be transferred through alliances involving prominent politicians.
“Kwara is not anybody’s political inheritance. The people own their votes, and they will decide who gets their mandate,” the party said.
The party’s spokesperson further described the Accord Party as a platform offering what he called a new direction for the state, claiming that it was committed to policy-driven politics and grassroots mobilisation from the presidential level to the state House of Assembly.
He urged voters to look beyond political movements and alliances and assess parties and candidates based on their manifestoes, records in public office, proposed policies and capacity to address the challenges confronting the state.
The Rainbow Coalition is among the emerging political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections, with its electoral strength likely to be tested by the ability of participating political figures to convert their influence into votes across Kwara State.