Tonye Cole Warns of 20‑Year Setback Due to Political Feud
Former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Tonye Cole has stated that the prolonged political dispute in Rivers State has effectively moved the state backwards by roughly two decades.
Speaking on the issue, Cole said the feud has deepened divisions and urged a broad‑based effort to rebuild Rivers State beyond party lines.
He revealed that he has been reaching out to political actors and stakeholders from various camps to address grievances and promote unity.
Cole emphasized, “I am one of those that have reached out across the board to different people, calling them and saying, look, we have fought a fight that has left Rivers State further back 20 years than we have ever been in our entire history as a state.”
He added that the time has come for all parties to unite and build a new Rivers State.
The rebuilding process, according to Cole, must involve competent individuals from every political party rather than being dominated by a single group.
He stressed that the state’s interests should outweigh political differences, saying, “We have to do that across party lines. We don’t care whether you are PDP, APC, ADC or NDC.”
What matters now is that Rivers State seeks the best talent from everywhere, brings them together, and forges a master plan that moves the state forward.
Cole argued that past attempts at division and confrontation have failed to produce meaningful development.
“Because we have tried the division, we have tried the fighting, and that has failed. So, how do we move the state forward? And that’s where we are,” he said.
He noted that efforts are underway to bring aggrieved parties together and secure a shared commitment to the state’s progress.
“So we are reaching out to all aggrieved parties, and we are bringing everybody together to say, you know what? Can we agree that we now need to move Rivers State forward?” he asked.
Cole warned that failure to reconcile the different political camps could plunge Rivers State into another damaging round of conflict.
He concluded, “The only way to do that is to bring the best from all the camps and let us put ourselves together so that we can deliver a new Rivers State. If not, we’re going into another very bitter division, which will not progress us.”
