PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria — Concerned Rivers People has said alleged political meetings involving former Niger Delta Development Commission Managing Director Joy Nunieh, Gabriel Pidomson and Dumo Lulu-Briggs will not weaken the Rainbow Coalition or derail its political ambitions in Rivers State.
The group made the claim in a statement Sunday signed by its Publicity Secretary, Sunny Nwagbo.
According to CRP, Nunieh allegedly met with Pidomson and Lulu-Briggs at her residence to discuss matters concerning the coalition. The group did not provide details of what was discussed or independently verifiable evidence of the meeting.
CRP said the reported discussions would not alter the direction of the Rainbow Coalition, insisting that its political objectives remain unchanged.
“Let it be known, the Rainbow Coalition has come to stay. These meetings and backdoor politics will not stop the will of the people,” Nwagbo said in the statement.
The statement reflects growing political activity around alliances and coalition-building in Rivers State, where competing political interests have continued to shape the state’s political landscape.
The Rainbow Coalition is part of a broader effort by opposition and political groups seeking to build alliances ahead of future elections. Such coalitions typically bring together politicians and interest groups with different backgrounds around shared political objectives.
CRP said the coalition would remain focused on its stated goals and would not be distracted by what it described as political manoeuvring.
The group did not identify the specific political decisions it believes the alleged meeting was intended to influence, nor did it explain whether any of the individuals named had reached an agreement during the reported discussions.
Nunieh, a former NDDC managing director, has remained an influential figure in Rivers State politics. Her tenure at the commission and subsequent political activities have attracted considerable public attention.
Dumo Lulu-Briggs, a businessman and political figure from Rivers State, has also been involved in political and community affairs in the Niger Delta.
Pidomson’s reported involvement in the discussions further highlights the range of political interests surrounding the coalition.
However, the allegations made by CRP have not been independently established, and there was no immediate response from Nunieh, Pidomson or Lulu-Briggs addressing the group’s account of the meeting.
Rivers State has historically been an important center of political competition because of its economic significance, particularly its role in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
Political alliances in the state can therefore have implications beyond local elections, influencing debates over resource management, development and representation in the Niger Delta.
The latest statement from CRP appears aimed at reassuring supporters that the coalition remains intact despite reported efforts to influence its direction.
For now, the group’s position is that internal discussions or political negotiations outside the coalition will not change its course.
The group, however, insists that its political project will continue.
“Let it be known, the Rainbow Coalition has come to stay,” CRP said, maintaining that what it described as “backdoor politics” would not stop what it called the will of the people.
Rivers State has long been one of Nigeria’s most politically significant states because of its economic importance to the country’s oil and gas industry. Political competition in the state has frequently involved alliances between established politicians, community interests and emerging political movements.
The Niger Delta has also historically been a major focus of debates over resource control, environmental concerns, development and political representation.
Against that background, new political coalitions in Rivers State can attract considerable attention as politicians and interest groups position themselves ahead of future electoral contests.
