I’ll Restore the pride of Rivers people – Tonye Cole

…Abonnemans pledge 100% votes

Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Arc. Pastor Tonye Patrick Dele Cole, has promised to restore the pride of Rivers people when he becomes the governor of the state in 2019.

He made the promise while addressing the people of Abonnema at St. Paul’s Nyemoni Cathedral, Abonnema, headquarters of the Lutheran Fellowship Congresses of Nigeria.

Tonye Cole had, in line with his tradition, gone to the church to first dedicate his ward to ward sensitization tour before commencing.

Reading from the book of Acts 18:9-10, where the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Paul in the city of Corinth and told him not to be afraid as he was with him and had many followers there, the APC governorship candidate said he was encouraged by the fact that God had many people in Abonnema in particular and Kalabari Land in general who would support the riverine governorship cause.

Tonye, who said he was happy to come from Kalabari, regretted that the respect his people used to command in Nigeria was fast diminishing due to a drop in their values, adding that time had come for Rivers people to reposition themselves for greater exploits.

“If we have to get it right, it means we’re going to teach Nigeria what it means to lead,” he said.

In his brief exhortation, the bishop in charge of the church, Bishop Nimi Fyneface, who had earlier described Tonye Cole as a true son of the soil from Jack’s Compound in Abonnema, advised the APC governorship candidate not to forget his background as a pastor when he enters government house as governor of the state.

He said that the time had come for the distribution of the wealth of Rivers State for Rivers people.

“If your name is Godswill, then this is the time to divide what belongs to Rivers State for the people of the state,” the clergyman said and prayed for the APC governorship candidate.

After a brief stop-over at his grand mother’s tomb, which is adjacent the Cathedral, Arc. Tonye Cole and his team proceeded to the famous Chief Otaji Memorial Hall, followed by a mammoth crowd of APC supporters.

At Chief Otaji Memorial Hall, Tonye Cole had a meeting with the Abonnema Council of Chiefs, during which he thanked them for their support and prayers. He told the chiefs that it was time for the voice of Kalabari elders to be heard, lamenting that their values and fortunes had gone down in the last two decades.

“Our children no longer go to school; they no longer speak good English. Youths no longer respect their elders; the glory must be restored,” he said, adding that his governorship quest should unite all Kalabaris.

After receiving the blessing of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs, the APC governorship candidate started his ward to ward sensitization tour.

From ward 1 to ward 14, he was given a rousing welcome by APC faithful in Abonnema. In each of the wards, he assured the
people that he had come to serve them and change the narrative of governance in the state.

He reminded them that he was one of them and cannot, therefore, disappoint them, urging them to vote for him and other APC candidates during the general election next year.

Tonye Cole’s running mate, Victor Giadom, senatorial candidate for Rivers West Senatorial District, Honourable Asita Honourable, coordinator of Free Rivers Movement, Samson Ngeregbara, also encouraged the people of Abonnema to vote for their son, Tonye Cole.

They maintained that it was the turn of Kalabari cum riverine to produce the next governor of Rivers State hence the need for them not to miss the opportunity, warning that if the Kalabari/riverine people miss the golden opportunity now, it could take another fifty years before it would come back to them, as other ethnic nationalities in the state are waiting for their own turns.

In their presentations, the leaders of the various wards appealed to Arc. Tonye Cole to carry them along when he becomes the governor of Rivers State and promised to give him hundred per cent of their votes. They made demands ranging from job opportunities, empowerment, scholarship, improved security, among others.