The All Progressives Congress (APC) Director of Strategic Communications for the Tonye Cole Campaign in Rivers State, Prince Tonye T.J.T Princewill, has dismissed the possibility of elections holding in the state without the party and its candidates, saying that it would be an exercise in futility.

Princewill made the dismissal in an interactive session with journalists on Thursday while reacting to the disclosure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that Rivers APC is not yet on the ballot.

“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 said.

He appealed to Rivers people for calm, saying: “We knew (Governor Nyesom) 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.”

The Cole Campaign Spokesman went on to describe the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is in power in the state, as an “accident waiting to happen”. He advised all those with good conscience still in the party “to jump for safety before the inevitable crash or hold themselves to blame”.

“Wike,” according to Princewill, “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.”

Reacting to questions on the schedule of campaigns going forward and the paucity of time available, Princewill noted that while being on the ballot was necessary, allowing the APC candidates time to go about their campaigns, as had been denied them; was only fair because their campaigns were gaining momentum before legal gymnastics stepped in.

He said: “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 strongman 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 cannot 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 the 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?”

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