The candidate for the 2019 gubernatorial election under the All Progressives Congress, APC, Tonye Cole, has raised alarm over an attack on his campaign team on Friday.
The gubernatorial candidate was in Bakana, Akuku-Toru local government on Friday where unknown gunmen alleged to have been sponsored by a commissioner serving in the governor Nyesom Wike’s administration attacked the campaign team.
The campaign team in a statement made available to Theportcitynews said security personnel attached to the team, however, repelled the attackers.
Read full statement below…
Blood bath was averted today (Friday, November 16, 2018) at Old Bakana as gun men alleged to be sponsored by a PDP serving Commissioner in Nyesom Wike’s government from the area opened heavy gunfire on Pastor Tonye Cole and his team as they were carrying out ward-to-ward consultation in the community.
On arrival at the community and as is usual with the team, Tonye Cole and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on the delegation had gone to pay a courtesy call on the traditional head of the community prior to commencement of the exercise when heavy gunfire erupted from all directions of the community.
Pastor Cole immediately showed courage and leadership by ordering his team members to remain calm indoors while the security detachment attached to the team were allowed to repel the advancing armed attackers.
It took a while before the marauding gunmen were repelled by the security men and the area secured. Subsequently, Pastor Cole directed that the exercise must go on at the designated arena after which the team departed to Bakana Town to continue with the exercise.
The Tonye Cole Campaign Organisation and APC vehemently condemn the dastardly act of today reminiscent of what was carried out in 2015 against the APC and its governorship candidate in Okrika and other similar incidents carried out by PDP and their gunmen across Rivers State.
