The All Progressive Congress, APC governorship candidate in 2023 election in Rivers State, Tonye Cole has said Chief Emeka Bekee led fraction of the party still stands as the authentic leadership by law.
Speaking to journalists, Mr. Cole who stated that Chief Bekee emerged as a leader of the APC in Rivers State via a procedure recognized by the law explaining that the Tony Okocha led group is illegal.
On the political upheaval in the state, Mr. Cole said it is one of the consequences of an election which is not free and fair referring to 2023 governorship election which produced Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
He said the fight is between the FCT minister Nyesom Wike and Governor Fubara noting that until the issue of godfatherism is addressed the problem would linger.
Mr. Cole noted that the crisis has retrogressed the development of the critical sectors of the state robbing the people of the dividend of democracy.
“I think the people of Rivers State have been the victims here. They have always been the victims and are still the victims. I don’t think they are getting any good deal. Because of the turmoil in Rivers State development is stalled.
As we speak since the government came back to office, legitimately brought back by the end of emergency rule very little development has happened. Since the day this government came into power till today Rivers State has regressed in every indices you can think about, it must end”, he noted.
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He further stated that the impasse which engulfed Rivers State led to the slamming of emergency rule which was a mechanism employed by the president to save the situation.
“I did not think it was a necessary action by the time it happened. We were not in that level of crisis to demand for a state of emergency. However the president has the right to declare it I have no duobt on that. My question is was it a necessary action? It was a very political decision which ended up saving Governor Fubara from being impeached at that time. It is extremely political. The people of Rivers State have nothing to do with it”, he explained.
Mr. Cole stressed that he would work with any individual in Rivers APC be it Wike or Governor Fubara in the interest of the state so long as he aligns himself with the Emeka Bekee’s camp which he described as the authentic APC in the state.
The flag bearer of the APC in 2023 governorship elections, in Rivers State affirmed that he is the alternative candidate of the office of the governor in 2027 elections on the party’s platform.
