Those who are lamenting over the choice of TDC are those who have built structures outside those of the Leader, CRA, and now have a great challenge on how they will meet all the promises and expectations they have given to their followers. As for me, I am a covenant keeper as a child of God. We said, *”Amaechi leads, we follow”*. On that, I stand.
Also, Tonye Cole’s participation in the Governorship of Rivers State is a huge plus. His emergence as Governor of the State will immediately catapult the State to a position of positive expectations from the investing world. In fact, I think some of his former business partners and acquaintances will ask themselves if this is for real. I also think they will try to out-invest his immediate past partners because a man of such calibre, international connections and exposure, leaving the corporate boardroom to try this salvage mission must be commended.
• I believe that he is in it for altruistic reasons and as Rivers people, we just have to give him our total support. We need help and Tonye Dele Cole has stepped aside from making millions and billions for himself and decided to lend us that time at the price of a sacrifice and very costly one because one corporate pay for a corporate giant is a lot to forgo to come and sway over people some of whom shall show extreme ingratitude. If you doubt, ask CRA.
What and how have we repaid him for his sacrificial service for us?
On the perceived strength of Wike as against Tonye Dele Cole, it is very instructive to state that in a truly free and transparent election, the likes of Wike won’t even dare to contest not to talk of defeating Tonye Dele Cole. Wike wouldn’t have had and as a matter of fact, has no chance at all. It is only in elections conduct in 2015 and every, and I mean every Rivers man or woman who was in Rivers State and is willing to tell himself or herself the truth knows how those elections that threw up Wike and his ilk were conducted.
• Tonye Dele Cole will bring wealth creation, wealth distribution and prosperity through the exposure of the State to the investing world as a low-hanging fruit in various ways and this is what Investors all over the world are craving for. It is through these such low-hanging fruits that other areas of development in the State shall be opened up for further and extensive investment. I am more than certain that Tonye Dele Cole, by his business pedigree, will take the issue of security very seriously and I can tell you also, with all amount of certainty, that with Tonye Dele Cole as Governor, Rivers State will receive extensive international support to emplace security. This is because the provision of security infrastructure is a sin qua non to signpost governmental developmental intentions and directions. He is a serious-minded business person and for him to want to govern the State is a clear indication that he has seen the potentials herein. So, he needs to emplace such measures, security-wise, and you can bet that other business persons won’t allow him to reap all the benefits when he is out of office after 8 years. So, they will come in powerfully to collaboratively participate now and even start to enjoy the proceeds before he leaves Brick House.
• One more issue. I hope you are watching how some of the candidates are emerging for the November elections in the US. People are tapped to run. Some call it headhunting. That is democracy. Nobody is telling anyone that he or she is playing God. They know that it is the culture of democracy to endorse, to tap, to headhunt. Who knew that ” an unknown quantity like Obama” will defeat a democratic party principality like Hilary Rodman Clinton in the primaries and go ahead to become America’s first and, so far, only Blackman to be President. All the former big name black men didn’t make it. Those who head-hunted him also put their collective popularity to ensure that he became President. Today, many of them depend on his endorsement to get their party’s nomination. That is democracy. So, those who have confidence in Tonye Dele Cole’s potentials and have so endorsed him for the office of Governor of Rivers State. Anyone who feels qualified and is desirous to run should so do. If you know any so qualified and you want to endorse the person, democracy allows you and the APC provides the platform. Do yours and let others do theirs. CRA and those who believe in his leadership have done ours. Stop crucifying us as if we have done the unthinkable. What we have done doesn’t diminish democracy. It only extends and enriches it.
• As for Wike, he is a contraption that should not be mentioned in governance. Those who are afraid of him have little or nothing to offer. Governance is not just about winning elections by all means. It is a serious business that calls for serious minded people to engage in. It is a call for creativity in the creation and allocation of resources for a competing economic and social needs, requirements and expectations from an ever-expecting populace. This also calls for an ability to do same. I tell you, Tonye Dele Cole has that capacity and will bring in integrity to the process of governance and governance itself.
If l were to become Governor, I would have found a way to engage Tonye Dele Cole in the process because his association with me in such a position is a huge booster. The international community will wager on me because they have seen his card and will easily see that there is great hope. Now we don’t need to hire him, he has already come out.
• As for my people, we wanted a Kalabari man to be Governor. We have a Kalabari man. We didn’t add any other qualifications other than being a Kalabari man. We said Kalabari and the Leader have thrown his support for a Kalabari man and that is where we stand. The naysayers have their points, fears, assumed loss of capacity to dispense favours, disappointments, etc. but we can’t continue to dwell on them. Today, an overwhelming majority of the things we enjoy in modernity are the products of those who refused to listen to the naysayers. To them, they either didn’t exist or were, in fact, the reason why they chose to succeed. We have to move on. We have dwelt on this mountain for too long. If we must move forward and do so quickly, we must begin to stop doing business as usual. The classic definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. We must change our style. In fact, with Tonye Dele Cole we have changed our style. We have come to the conclusion that we must turn the corner. The time for serious business has come. We have to join and make it work.
• Furthermore, Tonye Dele Cole’s decision to vie for the Governorship of the state is a vote of confidence on the potentials of the State, to drive development not only of Rivers State but of the nation as a whole. Because as the defacto oil and gas capital of the nation and with its direct litoral location on the shores of the Atlantic ocean Rivers State possesses all the developmental prerequisites of any serious-minded nation. These potentials, if properly harnessed in the hands of such an internationally connected first-class business tycoon in the mould of Tonye Dele Cole, can in a very short while, of within four years, create a combination of Singapore, Dubai and Kuwait in one entity.
• Finally, as a Kalabari man nay, as a rivers man, I proudly associate myself with this quiet achiever whose attainment speaks volumes and for which he is recognised even by the United Nations. His stupendous wealth has not made him be oblivious of the place of his Maker in his life and therefore serves Him as a Pastor preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Wahoo!!! What a combination of capacities availed to us in one man to be called upon, endorsed, tapped and headhunted to throw in his hat in the ring for the contest for the choice of Governor of Rivers State! I, Rt. Hon. Sokonte Davies, PhD do wholesomely support this choice. Let the trumpet sound. Recognise honour when you see it. Here comes the man, Arc. Tonye Dele Cole.
Thank you and remain blessed as we prepare to enter the Rivers State of our dreams.
God bless you.
