The decision of the Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi and some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State, to adopt a Lagos State-based oil magnate, Tonye Cole, as the party’s consensus governorship candidate, has unsettled the party in the state. Barely 24 hours after the decision described as “unpopular”, was taken in Abuja, stakeholders and loyalists of other aspirants vying for the position were said to have vented their anger at Amaechi, the leader of the party in the state.

It was gathered that Amaechi constituted a committee of 19 elders of the party and the committee, after its meeting on Friday attended by Amaechi, selected Cole out of 10 other aspirants. Speaking on how Cole emerged, Senator Andrew Uchendu, who was a member of the committee, said: “Last night, our leader, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, set up a committee of elders of about 19 members to meet immediately and decide on the governorship candidate of our party.

“We all met for about two hours and unanimously chose Tonye Cole. The committee immediately communicated this choice to our leader. I was a member of that committee and therefore invite all of you as party faithful to accept this decision and communicate same to all our members. It is in our overall interest to do so”. But most of the aspirants and stakeholders, who felt that Cole lacks popularity, spread and structures, were not happy that Amaechi took the decision without consulting them.

The aggrieved aspirants were of the view that Amaechi should have allowed them to conclude their consultations and decide by themselves on consensus. Some of them were said to have decided to test their popularity at the primary election regardless of the decision. A party member, Ikenda Elechi wrote: Okilo, Ada George, Odili, Amaechi, Wike and all governors of Rivers State came from the dusty streets of Port Harcourt. No outsider can be imported solely to rule over us.

“I stand today to say no to Amaechi’s imposition of his little political creation over all of us. If no PH brought up is good for governorship, none is certainly fit for Presidency”. Another party member, Emmanuel Ekekwe said: “It is frustrating that people will labour to build a party only for one Supreme leader to anoint an outsider to run for the governorship”.

Meanwhile, Tonye Patrick Cole has pledged to run an all inclusive government, if voted into power in 2023. He spoke after he emerged consensus candidate for APC following a meeting held in Abuja on April 11, 2022. In an acceptance speech, Cole, a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), said, “I am humbled by the incredible burden laid upon my shoulders to unite the party and reassure everyone, especially the other aspirants and those aggrieved by this decision that I will work assiduously for an all inclusive party.”

“The work ahead of us is immense but the path to victory is much clearer today than it was yesterday. We must therefore agree to stand as one body and work together to deliver APC in the forthcoming elections in order to give our dear Rivers State a new lease of life through purposeful and progressive governance that will bring about social cohesion and economic prosperity.”

Speaking on the development, one of the aspirants and former member who represented Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Sokonte Davies, reiterated his commitment to the agreement earlier signed to support whosoever the party choose to be the flag-bearer at the polls to ensure victory.

“God makes His own thing beautiful in His own time. I have always lived to give thanks in all situations. As a child of God, my word will forever remain my bond. “We must come to agree that no two persons can occupy a seat at the same time. On this note, I fully support Pastor Arc. Tonye Cole. To some, Tonye may not be the best, to some others, he might also not be the desired, but I bet you, a Tonye Cole shall be far better than what Governor Wike or the opposition parties will present to Rivers people for the Brick House for the 2023 governorship election,” he said.

Thirteen aspirants, including Cole, Dakuku Peterside, Prince Tonye Princewill, Dr. Dawari George, Mina Tende, Dr. Sokonte Davies, and others, have earlier in a joint statement, expressed their interest to join in the state governorship race, on the APC platform. The aspirants equally signed an agreement to work together to support any of them who emerges victorious at the primary election of the party. (The Nation)

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