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2019 Rivers Guber and the argument for Tonye Dele Cole


Recently the media has been awash with articles from some prominent Rivers sons espousing the candidature of Mr. Tonye Cole as the best candidate to unseat the incumbent governor of Rivers state Mr. Nyesom Wike. The articles which hinge the need for the people of the state to support Mr. Cole on his endorsement by the former Governor of the state and leader of the party in the state attempts to sell the candidate as the savior who will redeem the state and make it an Eldorado among comity of states in the country based on his success as a businessman.
Considering the business background of Mr. Cole, it will be out of place to say that his proponents are hired singers. They may have had the opportunity of knowing him and understanding the kind of personality he is to make such lofty comments about him.
Rivers state and indeed Nigeria needs such personalities in government that can help change the direction of the country for the better through right approach to governance. But sometimes it is important for us to realise that governance is different from being a successful businessman as those promoting Mr. Cole may want us to believe. Politics and governance entails a lot which relying on ones success in business alone may end up becoming a big disappointment. The fact that he is a successful businessman does not mean that others in the race have not attained success in their various endeavours.
The major problem facing the state today is insecurity and job creation and it is important that we understand that we need a candidate that will be in tune with the security situation in the state and who has the experience to ensure that the situation is positively tackled. This is what my dear brother Tonye Cole lacks and allowing him take the ticket will only show that the party is really not ready to take over power from the PDP come 2019. The APC should look into its fold without sentiments to bring the best candidate otherwise all the boasts about dethroning Wike will amount to empty boasts.
As much as we need the best material in the All Progressive Congress APC to wrest power from the PDP, we cannot risk it for a political neophyte who will come up with policies that may likely not be in tune with the wishes of the people of the state.
As a party man I wish to state categorically that Tonye Cole is not the best candidate to fly the flag of the party come 2019. Any attempt to foist him on the party will end up creating the same scenario we witnessed in 2015 if not a worst case scenario. He is not known to many party members neither is he a home grown politician that has related with people across the state. Putting a stranger as the governorship candidate under our party will be counterproductive so it is important that we correct such when we still have the time.
There are better candidates in the party who should be considered. It is for this reason that I join members of the party that have insisted on the need to have direct primaries in order to elect the most acceptable candidate for the party. Through the adoption of a direct and transparent primary, the entire members of the party will be rest assured that anybody who emerges will be acceptable to the members and the people of the state. The fact that there are two factions of the party is not the only reason for the direct primaries. Direct Primaries will prevent the imposition of any candidate on the members and bring in somebody that will be acceptable to the people of the state in general.
The most important thing today is to unseat the non performing governor of the state. This victory cannot and should not be sacrificed on the altar of ego or crass sentiment

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