APC’S Tonye Cole brushes aside court shackles, unveils plans for Rivers’ economy
DESPITE several obstacles, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has kicked off its governorship campaigns in the state with a promise to upturn most of the hardships of people.
The guber flag-bearer and all other candidates of the APC were stopped by the courts from contesting in 2019. This time around, the court in Port Harcourt has applied the first cut by nullifying the party’s congresses that produced the candidates including delegates that went to the national convention of the party to vote for Bola Tinubu.
More obstacles followed by the ban of gathering of ‘thugs’ in hotels with threat to demolish such hotels; ban on gathering in public places for rallies, Order 21 that levied N5m with executive permission from the government for rallies in school compounds, etc.
The guber candidate said these were signs of panic by the ruling party in the state who he said do not want to face election but unopposed selection, the way they appointed their candidates with executive fiat.
The flag bearer, an architect, Kalabari-born Tonye Patrick Cole, inaugurated his 800-man Campaign Council and unveiled the roadmap to a new Rivers State. His blueprint is out to be compared by the one already unveiled by Dawari George of Action Alliance (AA), Dumo Lulu-briggs of Accord Party (AP), Magnus Abe of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Victor Fingesi of Action Democratic Party (ADP), and Sin Fubara of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that is yet to unveil his.
Cole said by choosing him since 2018 to lead the charge back to the Brick House, the APC elders have redefined politics in Rivers State from ‘choppings for the boys’ to service to the people.
He said: “The journey to our victory next year began with the foresight Rivers State APC exhibited in putting me forward in 2018, which required great courage and deep love for you, the people of the State. That foresight is anchored on the need to depart from the norm whereby politics is not about service to the people but all about ‘chopping for the boys’.
He said his team heard the desire of the party elders to search for and elect a different type of political leader, one they could trust, the listening and caring type of leader who implements projects because of the transformative impact they would make in the lives of the citizens and not simply as an avenue of self-enrichment.”
He said bridges should be built to open up communities to modern day development and not just flyovers built to nowhere or as conduits to satisfying ego and personal desires. “When new roads are constructed, it should be for ease of transport of goods and services from hinterland communities to markets they otherwise would not be able to access.
Cole alluded to accusations that the GRAS have all been acquired by the top government leaders and their friends. “When governments decide to provide houses for citizens, it should be considering those of you who have little or no hope of ever owning a home. Instead they should be building affordable homes with long term mortgage schemes and not personally taking over all government properties in Old GRA, Amadi Flat and GRA Phase 2 with impunity for themselves. This is not what democracy is meant to deliver and why we elected people to government. Rather, they have chopped alone and enriched themselves stupendously. In the process, they have betrayed our trust in them to lead us and condemned many of us to poverty.”
The candidate pointed out that the 2023 elections would be a shocking moment because, according to him, power is back in the hands of the people. “For the first time in our history, your votes will count. You can be certain when you go out to the ballot and cast that single vote, it will not be stolen and given to someone else. The new Electoral Act and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) through Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has changed the landscape of elections in Nigeria forever, by transferring the power of electing political leaders into the hands of the electorate and not to those with muscles and guns.
It is for this reason that they are afraid of us. They are very afraid, and you see it in their actions.”
He said the government tried to attack his integrity by concocting a ridiculous criminal trial since their candidate has several counts of corruption hanging over him. “He is wanted by the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and just recently was invited by the Code of Conduct Bureau to defend allegations of ill-gotten wealth. “He has refused to show. Their attempt of using subterfuge by bringing criminal charges against me fell flat. Instead of facing the people with their record of service, they have become even more desperate by introducing all kinds of obstacles intended to stop us from reaching the people.”
Cole said he is prepared for the journey ahead. “We began door-todoor consultations months ago moving through all the LGAS ahead of when campaigns would officially begin.” He said they tried to stop them with many obstacles.
More obstacles: blocking the billboard spaces
He raised alarm, saying the APC has remained very conscious of the law and remained determined to operate strictly within the boundaries of electoral regulations. “While waiting for campaigns to officially begin so we can erect billboards, they have utilized state resources to deny us spaces for billboards thus violating the electoral guidelines. They have even gone further to threaten billboard owners not to put up APC billboards. What they forget is that billboards do not win elections. What indeed are they afraid of?”
Revealing why the governor appointed 200,000 polling unit assistants, Cole said: “Our unprecedented wardto-ward campaign yielded massive grassroots appeal, and in frenzy, they decided to embark on a vote buying exercise unparalleled in the annals of our politics, through the supposed employment of over 200,000 Special Assistants. The voter is not a fool, and they know exactly what is happening. For 8 years, they weaponised poverty and drove unemployment in Rivers State to number one in Nigeria at nearly two million people according to National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
“Will the four months’ vote buying scheme pay servants their salaries, pensions and gratuities as well? We are good people, but certainly not fools. They may have created poverty and made us hungry, but we are not stupid. What are they really afraid of?”
He wondered why they have continued to file cases against his nationality, his emergence in APC primaries, etc, issues he said the Supreme Court had decided on.
He said the state is wealthy but the people are suffering. “Rather, what has preoccupied them has been how to get immunity at all costs, first trying to buy national acceptance, then when that failed, they have become a national comedy theatre group on tour. Now they want a third term Rivers State and are in desperate negotiations with any platform. Nigerians are not fooled and will not be willing to give them that safe landing they desperately seek at the expense of our commonwealth.”
Sure road to 2023
Cole said he was sure of 2023 and would be on the ballot. He gave reasons: “God is the true Judge and is not asleep. Power belongs to Him and not man. We will be on the ballot in 2023. Nothing can stop this from happening. They will not take away your right to make a choice in who you can vote for. You are fed up and want a fresh start, which Dr. Innocent Barikor and I offer you today. We will be your Governor and Deputy in 2023.”
He said his interactions with the people revealed that what the ordinary Rivers people want are food, school fees, house rent, hospital bills, marriages and even burials. “They don’t want to rely on big men or woman before getting a job or setting up a business. They want peace and security so they can move freely without fear of kidnapping. And they want electricity so they can operate effectively. All they want are the basic necessities of life.”
He said his manifesto is therefore designed along these needs. “The manifesto we are unveiling to you has you at the core of everything we will do. The people come first and will be the parameter with which the policies we drive, and implement are centered. If any policy does not improve your life and well-being, we simply will not do it.
“Our government will stand on three cardinal pivots that are all centered around you. First is Social Welfare. We must address the basic things that concern your immediate survival and provide means to enable you stand on your own. Bringing as many of our citizens out of poverty is a priority for us. While this is going on, it is paramount that we bring back businesses that have fled this State in droves.
“Business responds to environments where peace and security thrive, attracting innovation and investments with it.”
He said Peace with Security forms the second pivot, but to achieve it, impunity must end, and respect of the law must naturally be restored. “These two provide the impetus for the third pivot to thrive and that is Developmental Infrastructure. “Here we will invest in any form of infrastructure that will enable your development. From agriculture, education, health, entertainment, sports, to digital infrastructure. Provided it adds positively to improving your Human Capital Development, we will invest in it.
“The positive thing in all of this is the fact that you know and trust that I can do this. You know I have the experience to do these things as an entrepreneur that has represented Rivers State honourably, globally. I did not bring disgrace to the State but have either competed against or done business with global brands such as GE, Huawei, KEPCO, Saudi Aramco, Shell to name a few.
“I am not intimidated by global power and have sat with Presidents and world leaders in private meetings or shared podiums with them at international meetings, such as the World Economic Forum at Davos and the United Nations General Assembly in New York.”
He further mentioned his track records in business institutions in Nigeria including the National Institute at Kuru which he said provided him with skills required to close the gap he had in public policy and implementation, while granting him access to a deep pool of nation building talent.
“There is an incredible network at your disposal to develop Rivers State and achieve the vision I have of making us the number one destination to invest in Nigeria. We will surpass any economy in our country and compete favourably beyond the shores of our nation. Some already have a head start, but we have the determination to pursue and overtake.”
Solution for flood, now
Flood is ravaging Rivers State along with other coastal areas. Cole said he has developed a solution to resolve this problem and mitigate the devastating loss to the people annually. “While I am prepared and will implement the solution from the day I am sworn in, the sooner the work starts the better. I would therefore like to offer the plan to the Rivers State Government for immediate action so that the people can benefit sooner rather than later in a long-lasting solution to perennial flooding. Kindly pass this message on and I would be glad to see the work commence.”
Whether the message would get to the state administration and if they would consider it is yet to be ascertained.