Tonye Cole Warns Rivers State Political Feud Has Set Back Development by 20 Years
A former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has declared that the ongoing political feud in the state has dragged development backwards by roughly two decades.
Cole said the protracted dispute has deepened divisions and called for a broad‑based effort to rebuild Rivers State beyond party lines.
He revealed that he has been reaching out to political actors and stakeholders across all camps to address grievances and foster unity.
“I am one of those who have reached out across the board to different people, telling them that 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,” Cole stated.
He added that the time has come for all to unite and build a new Rivers State.
Cole stressed that reconstruction must involve competent individuals from every political party, not be dominated by a single group, and that the state’s interests should outweigh political differences.
“We have to do that across party lines. It does not matter whether you are PDP, APC, ADC or NDC; what matters is that Rivers State seeks the best from everywhere, brings them together, and forges a master plan to move forward,” he said.
He argued that political division and confrontation have failed to yield meaningful development, noting that the state has tried division and fighting, and it has not worked.
Cole said efforts are underway to bring aggrieved parties together and secure a shared commitment to the state’s progress.
“We are reaching out to all aggrieved parties and asking: can we agree that we now need to move Rivers State forward?” he asked.
He warned that failure to reconcile the different camps could plunge Rivers into another damaging round of conflict.
“The only way to do that is to bring the best from all the camps and unite so we can deliver a new Rivers State. If we do not, we will fall into another bitter division that will not bring progress,” Cole concluded.
