Tonye Cole Urges Governor Fubara to Focus on Governance, Avoid Further Political Battles in Rivers State

Tonye Cole Calls for Peaceful Governance in Rivers State

Former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Tonye Cole has described the emergence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara as contentious from the outset. He said the ensuing political crisis, particularly the face‑off with predecessor Nyesom Wike, created serious challenges for governance in Rivers State.

Cole noted that he believed Fubara would have consulted his close allies before deciding on his current political direction, adding that he assumes the governor discussed the best way forward with his inner circle for the next six months or so.

However, Cole admitted he was not part of those discussions and cannot state exactly what informed Fubara’s decisions. He reiterated that, based on what he would expect, the governor likely sought advice from his trusted associates.

Having chosen to return to office and complete his tenure, Cole argued that Fubara must now prioritize governance and avoid re‑entering 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,” Cole 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.”

The APC chieftain traced the controversy to the manner in which Fubara emerged as governor and the prolonged disagreement with his predecessor, which he said negatively affected Rivers State.

Cole stressed that the political crisis was not what the people of Rivers State wanted; residents had expected better governance and a different approach to leadership.

Despite the challenges, he expressed hope that the current situation offers an opportunity for the state to establish a new system of 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 urged residents to use the moment to demand a different political process and elect leaders capable of delivering good governance.

Cole concluded by calling on the people of Rivers State to set a different type of governance and a different process for electing those who represent them in power, adding, “My prayer is that we do it right.”