Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers has declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid and the Rivers governorship candidate, Kingsley Chinda, for the upcoming 2027 general elections.

Mr Fubara made the declaration during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Riven Medical Industries Project in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

He said the political differences that had divided stakeholders in the state had been resolved, adding that peace and unity should take precedence over political rivalry.

The governor added that he had aligned with the Rainbow Coalition, a political group led by his predecessor, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to advance the interests of the ruling party in Rivers.

“We have made peace in the state, and I am supporting our rainbow coalition. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is our president and the one we are supporting.

“I have gone back to our family. The time of war is over. It is time for peace, and this peace will take us to another level,” Mr Fubara said.

He charged his supporters to join him in backing all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.

Mr Fubara also urged his supporters across the state to remain united and avoid actions capable of creating disunity.

The governor described the Riven Medical Industries project as a strategic investment that would promote industrialisation, create jobs, and strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.

He, however, cautioned the project developers against failing to meet the agreed obligations, recalling past experiences where investors abandoned projects, which resulted in prolonged litigation.

Mr Fubara expressed confidence in the capacity of the new investors to revive the former Integrated Medical Industries (IMI) facility. He urged them to complete the first phase of the project within three months.

He also appealed to host communities and the leadership of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area to support the project and ensure a peaceful operating environment.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to providing the necessary support for the successful implementation of the project.

He said the project was a public-private partnership between the state government and Enbay Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, and aimed at redeveloping the former IMI into a pharmaceutical manufacturing complex.

The governor said the project was expected to produce pharmaceutical formulations, gelatin capsules, intravenous infusions and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients to boost local drug production, reduce dependence on imports and strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare value chain.

Mr Fubara added that it was also expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, attract investment, and position Rivers as a leading pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in Nigeria and West Africa.

(NAN)