Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has cautioned his supporters against addressing him as their leader at meetings of the Rainbow Coalition, stressing that members of the political group now have a common leader.

Fubara made the remarks following a reported disagreement at a recent Rainbow Coalition meeting, where one of his supporters reportedly referred to him as “my leader,” prompting a warning from Chinda, the APC governorship candidate, who insisted that the coalition had only one leader.

Addressing the issue, Fubara acknowledged that some individuals had stood by him during the political crisis that rocked Rivers State. However, he maintained that the emergence of a common political platform required members to move beyond previous loyalties and recognise the coalition’s leadership structure.

“Let me say something here so that it will help us while we move forward. I am aware there are some issues when some persons followed me while we had the crisis. When in your meetings, you say, ‘My leader, my leader,’” the governor said.

He explained that members were now under the same political roof and should avoid creating distinctions based on their previous affiliations or allegiances.

“We are now in one house, and because we have one house, there is no issue about who is the leader. I might be your oga, but we have a common leader now, my oga, the leader of the Rainbow Coalition,” Fubara stated.

The governor subsequently called for an end to the practice of addressing him as “my leader” within the coalition, emphasising the need for members to recognise the group’s common leadership.

“So, going forward, this issue of ‘my leader, my leader, my leader,’ I want it resolved here,” he added.

The development highlights the importance of leadership recognition and political alignment within the Rainbow Coalition, particularly as members who previously belonged to different political camps seek to operate under a common platform.

Fubara’s comments appear aimed at addressing the tension arising from competing expressions of loyalty within the coalition and reinforcing the need for unity among its members.