Prince Tonye Princewill, the Director of Strategic Communications for the Tonye Cole Campaign has said that the possibility of elections holding in Rivers state without the All Progressives Congress, APC, is an exercise in futility.
Princewill, a former gubernatorial candidate on the platform of Labour party during the 2015 general elections said that attempts to deny the party a slot on the ballot will bring about a state of lawlessness.
While reacting to statement by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, where the commission said it is yet to decide on the Rivers issues, Princewill said: “Of course we are not yet on the ballot, it’s a process. INEC by now has received the first order and in another day or so, will receive the second one. Then their lawyers will advise them and at a meeting of the powers that be, a decision will be taken. That decision will be to obey the law. We expect nothing less. If they don’t, then it will be lawful to be lawless in a lawless society. There will be no elections in Rivers state.”
Princewill accused Governor Nyesom Wike of penetrating the judiciary and the security agencies, adding that it is not clear whether he has done same to top INEC officials.
He said: “We knew Wike had penetrated the judiciary, every day the signs are revealed. We know he has also penetrated some of our security agencies, but we do not want to believe he has penetrated our electoral body at the highest levels. We are soon about to find out. Let us be patient. These things take time. Our money, that he is using, will be traced to its last hiding place when he leaves office. We know a lot about who he is working with. Money leaves a trace. And in this government, corruption will always come with consequences.”
“Wike is a learner driver. He has no business driving the vehicle of Rivers state and everyone knows it. Even he knows it. He can use money to win awards, ascribe bogus titles to himself, get biased media coverage, even delay justice, but he can’t use our money to bribe God. Judgement is coming for him and it is coming soon.”
He also accused the governor of hiring crowd for his LGA campaigns stressing that: “PDP should be very ashamed that after four good years, their candidate could not go from ward to ward to tell them what he has done. Instead, he has stumbled from LGA to LGA headquarters with more people in his entourage than indigenes to receive him, only to drop sound bites and share two-two thousand Naira to willing takers.
“His mate (even though we are yet to ascertain Nyesom Wike’s actual age), his mate and our candidate Tonye Cole, has gone from ward to ward in every LGA and had done 236 wards out of 319 before a judge, Magnus and Wike stopped him using the law.
“Magnus is not our focus. He is our lost brother whom we wish well. His room is there if he returns. Our focus is Wike and nothing will distract us from demystifying his perceived grassroots’ appeal, his supposed strong man status and his recent Mungo Park like discovery of Spirituality.
“Tonye Cole and others must be allowed to finish their campaigns. Anything short of that can not be just and we will contest it. INEC should get ready for the Presidential elections, but State House of Assembly, National Assembly and the Governorship elections must be a separate exercise set aside for a special date.”
“All eyes are now on INEC as the fate of Rivers state now hangs in their balance. Will Wike be given a free ride back into Government house or will the never say die attitude of Tonye Cole emerge from the ashes of court judgements? Very soon, all will be revealed.”
