Tonye Cole Declares Interest to Contest Rivers 2027 Guber Election, Says He Remains APC Leader

Tonye Cole Declares Interest to Contest Rivers 2027 Guber Election, Says He Remains APC Leader

 

Former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has declared that he remains the leader of the party in the state, despite ongoing political uncertainty and factional disputes.

 

 

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Cole described the political climate in Rivers as “chaotic” and accused key actors of blurring the lines between the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

 

“Rivers State always seems to be in the headlines for the wrong reasons,” he lamented. “We continue to use Rivers State as an experiment for all kinds of politics. Right now, it’s hard to tell which party is actually in charge. Is it PDP? Is it APC? Or is it a mixture of both? Everything just seems wrong.”

 

Cole, who flew the APC flag in the 2023 governorship election, stressed that his position as leader of the state chapter remains intact. However, he noted that political alignments at the national level could influence the situation.

 

“As a gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State, I remain the leader of APC in Rivers State. Of course, that depends on what the President says — because we don’t even know where Wike is politically. I have no idea whether he’s in PDP, APC, or both,” Cole said, referring to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike’s shifting political alliances.

 

He further maintained that there is still a “legitimate” APC structure in the state, separate from any political crossovers, and vowed to continue steering that faction.

 

“There’s an APC in Rivers State that remains legitimate, and I lead it. I will continue to lead that APC in Rivers State, and we will keep working to restore good governance and the rule of law,” he added.

Cole, also stated that President Bola Tinubu is deeply concerned about how the political situation in the state would evolve.

He also submitted that when the time is right, President Tinubu would have a discussion with the various stakeholders in Rivers State.

 

According to him, he believes President Tinubu feels the time is not right yet to hold the discussion.

 

“I suspect that one of the things that the President is deeply concerned about is Rivers State and how it’s going to evolve.

 

“I believe that the President is going to have a key stakeholder meeting with the different leaders in Rivers State.

 

“He hasn’t done that right now because I don’t think he believes that the time is right but I know for certainty that is coming,” he said.

 

During the programme, Cole also declared his interest in contesting the 2027 governorship race in Rivers, saying the oil-rich state has sufferd from poor leadership.

 

When asked if he has consulted the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, he replied in the negative.

 

He, however, described himself as the APC leader in Rivers State.