The Peoples Democratic Party has criticized the governorship candidate of the APC, Mr. Tonye Cole for calling on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
The PDP said in a statement in Port Harcourt that the uncharitable call by Cole has shown how unprepared the APC is to face the people.
The party’s Director of Publicity and Communications, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke described the call by Mr. Cole as ill-conceived.
The PDP said Cole’s utterances on matters of state interest indicates that his perception of issues is equally suspect.
“Patiently, we have waited to see if the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Rivers State, Mr. Tonye Cole will eminently dissociate himself from media reports associating him with calls for the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
“Since no official statement distancing Mr. Cole from the rather bizarre, reckless and hasty call in the media has been issued, our assumption is that he actually uttered those rather worrisome and unfortunate words.
“Rivers State is peaceful and safe. The State is peacefully safe because of the commitment of Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP to the protection of lives and property.
“It is baffling that this dual citizen who claims to love Rivers State to the extent that he has offered himself for leadership, will at this stage of our democratic transition, call for the declaration of a state of emergency.
“We are indeed shocked by the naive and utterly shameful posture unduly adopted by the APC gubernatorial flagbearer, Mr. Tonye Cole.
“In fact, in case Mr. Cole has forgotten, there are states in the North East as well as the South East where public safety and public security are threatened on a massive scale.
“Yet, calls for the declaration of states of emergency have not been made in these places by persons like Tonye Cole who are presenting themselves for public office.
“We can deduce from the foregoing that the APC candidate is looking for an easy way out of this contest. It is clear Cole has no agenda for Rivers people, clear that the man is simply not ready to face Rivers people in the field, and clear he is not ready to run the election.”
Nwuke accused Tonye Cole and the APC of planning to stall elections in Rivers State by engaging in lawless acts and undermining order.
“In calling for a state of emergency in Rivers State, Cole, a dual citizen who has lost track of how reality works; a dual citizen who has shown a strong propensity for acquiring Rivers assets; is simply saying Rivers people should be disallowed from voting.
“This means that several years after Cole’s bossom friend, Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi shutdown the courts in Rivers State, the APC is determined this time to prevent Rivers voters from choosing their leaders.
“This attempt by Cole to shutdown Rivers voters shows how insensitive and desperate he and his backers have become. It simply proves that he does not understand what it takes to lead a state as complex and critical as Rivers State.
“No matter how anyone looks at it, it is difficult to appreciate why the APC candidate is urging the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in a peaceful State blessed with one of the best security architectures in the country.
While we condemn attempts to create problems where they do not exist, we, urge, Cole and others like him to prepare for elections instead of laying needless booby traps.
