Tonye Cole Calls for Focus on Governance
Former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has described the emergence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara as contentious from the outset. He noted that the political crisis that followed Fubara’s assumption of office and his subsequent confrontation with his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, created serious challenges for effective governance in the state.
Cole said he believed Fubara would have consulted his close allies before deciding on the political direction he has now taken. “My assumption is that the governor would have gone with his own close allies, discussed with them, and said that this is the best way, that he has to move forward for the next six months or thereabouts of his administration. I would assume that’s what he did,” Cole stated.
He admitted, however, that he was not part of those discussions and could not say exactly what informed the governor’s decision. “But I am not in his chamber, so I wouldn’t know. But that’s what I would assume he would do,” he added.
According to Cole, having chosen to return to office and complete his tenure, Fubara must now prioritise governance and avoid returning to political battles. “But the battle that was fought? Now, what do you do? Do you walk away? If he was going to walk away then, he should not have come back as governor,” he said.
“But having taken the responsibility to come and finish his term, then he has to finish it in the way that allows him to govern. He can’t go back into fighting,” Cole emphasized.
The controversy surrounding Fubara’s administration began with the manner in which he emerged as governor and continued throughout his political conflict with Wike. Cole argued that the prolonged disagreement between the governor and his predecessor has negatively affected Rivers State.
“First of all, the method with which he came into power in the first instance was contentious. Throughout the period when he was there, the contention between himself and his predecessor had a lot of problems for Rivers State,” Cole said.
He added that the political crisis was not what the people of Rivers State wanted; residents expected better governance and a different approach to leadership. “So that could not have been the wishes of the people. People looked for something different; they didn’t get it,” he noted.
Despite his criticisms, Cole expressed hope that the current political situation could provide an opportunity for Rivers State to establish a new system of governance. He urged the people of the state to demand a different political process and elect leaders capable of delivering good governance.
“Now we have an opportunity, and I come back to this – we have an opportunity in Rivers State, and I’m praying this time around that it will work,” Cole said.
He called on citizens to use this moment to set a different type of governance and improve the process through which political leaders are elected. “We have an opportunity in Rivers State to set a different type of governance, a different type of process in electing those who represent us in power. My prayer is that we do it right,” Cole concluded.
