In this interview with Wabiye Idoniboyeobu, director of Media and Strategic Communications for Tonye Cole Governorship Campaign Council, said that the chances of APC winning the governorship seat in Rivets State come March 2023 are as bright and as constant as the morning star. He also stressed that Tonye Cole has the capacity, intelligence, vision and focus to govern Rivers State. Idris Momoh brings the excerpts:
May we know how prepared the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State is towards the forthcoming governorship election?
Well, the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State is very much prepared and ready to compete with any other party in the state with activities going on in the party so far. Even with so many court cases the party is still moving on with its activities of mobilising members for the task ahead of winning the governorship election in the state. And with all that is happening if you go to the grassroots you will see activities going on among active party members and NGOs afflicted with them. In fact the mobilisation by well wishers across the state is something else. So we are very prepared the task ahead.
Recently, the APC in Rivers State got a court judgment in its favour to participate in the governorship election come March 2023. What is your reaction to that?
You see that is to tell you that no matter what happens and how facts are manipulated at the end of the day they are consistent on their truthful tale of lies; justice will always prevail. And you can see that sometimes in Rivers State judgment can go in a very funny way reasons best known to Rivers people. But if you realise now that things are getting the right way and this is the most thing for our developing democracy as a state and nation. The most important thing in the court judgment is that it has given Rivers’ people the opportunity to choose their leadership because elections are not won in the court; elections are won in the field. We are happy in Rivers State that people and Nigerians are beginning to realise this fact.
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But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State under the leadership of Governor Nyesom Wike has said that the PDP has no rival as far as the governorship race in the state is concerned. What is your take on this?
Well, that is the governor speaking on his own opinion not Rivers State people because when the time comes in March 2023 the people of Rivers State who have their PVCs and the will power to determine who their governor will be will speak. What we are asking for is for everybody or party to be given a level playing field to sell their manifesto to the people to choose who is better for the state, not the type the PDP is presenting.
If the PDP is confident of victory, the governor or any other member of the party should not be sure of victory because they are presenting a candidate nobody has seen or heard from. The only statement the candidate has made is that ‘I will continue the legacy of Governor Wike.’ He has no idea of what he wants to do or knows anything about governance compared to Tonye Cole, an internationally-exposed administrator and businessman who want to bring due process into governance and connections that will change the fortune of Rivers State for good. There should be room for new ideas and innovations in Rivers State.
So what is the new idea and innovation you think the APC candidate Tonye Cole will bring on the table if he wins the governorship election?
Oh my goodness, just look at the candidate or go to Google and Google his name and profile and see how Tonye Cole and two others built a company from scratch to be one of the biggest conglomerate in Africa. It takes skill, intelligent, vision and focus to setup a company that has employed hundreds of people around Africa. He did that without a god father or political affliction and bringing that skill, intelligent and vision into the political scene of Rivers State and our country will be very massive and benefiting to governance.
So, bringing in such a man to be governor of Rivers State that is multi-talented will skyrocket the fortunes of the state. The state will be expanded heavily.
The APC leader in Rivers State, His Excellency Rotimi Amaachi has been very silent since he lost the Presidential ticket of APC; why?
That’s shows you maturity, and the days of Nyesom Wike is almost rounded off, Rotimi Amaechi was former speaker, governor and minister and he performed very well in all those positions and achieved all he wanted in terms of performance and gradually politically he can only go higher because he cannot be governor of Rivers State any more. And Amaechi is giving the party’s candidate all the needed support to succeed. So, he is not silent in any way.
How will you rate the performance of Governor Nyesom Wike in the last seven years of his administration?
Okay, if I want to reason like him and some Peoples Democratic Party members in the state I will say yes he has done some projects; projects in two local government areas and that is not what Rivers State need as a group. There is much more to developments and that is what many people have failed to realise because Rivers has so much potential and unless you have somebody that can explore those potential you will be just running around doing nothing. And building twelve flyovers in one local government does not make sense and that is not development. I hope by the time the new sheriff comes into power, there will be change of direction in governance.
Are you saying that all the Wike’s projects are located in two local governments of the state?
All the flyovers, twelve of them are located in his local government.
What are the chances of the APC in Rivers State come 2023?
Our chances are very high because we are working hard to achieve our goal because our efforts to achieve victory are beginning to manifest and that will count knowing what our candidate represent. So the chances of the APC are very high.
