War Has Been Declared In Rivers State – Tonye Cole

By Adesina Soyooye

The Rivers State Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2023 Governorship Election, Tonye Cole, has said that war has been declared in the State.

Cole, a close business and political ally of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, after analysing the sorry state of his home State posited that the mere fact that the Governor of the State was locked out and denied entry into the State Assembly Complex by the Lawmakers does not only spell doom, but a declaration of war.

Cole, also, reminded, in case anybody was forgetting, that the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is now, just a Governor in name; he is not in a position to exercise any powers; he has been caged; power has shifted, and been taken away from him.

Cole, who spoke on an Arise Television interview segment said the consequences is dire for the State, and the people will bleed.

Recall that following the Supreme Court’s judgment of February 28 which ordered the Governor to re-present the 2025 Budget which he had earlier presented to a small faction of the House of Assembly led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, the Governor had on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, gone to present it in adherence to the Court order,  but the gate was locked against him, thus denying him access.

Caught in that embarrassing situation, the Governor explained that before proceeding to the Assembly Complex, he had placed a number of calls to Speaker Martin Amaewfule but the Speaker did not take the calls. He, also, forwarded a letter to that effect to which the Speaker failed to respond. And, these are beside his earlier invitation to the Members in a letter addressed to the Speaker for a meeting at the Government House to enable them sort issues out. He was snubbed.

But in its defence the House of Assembly accused the Governor of playing to the gallery and producing a comedy skit.

Its Spokesperson and Chairman of Committee on Information, Enemi Alabo George said the Governor embarked on a mission to tarnish the image of the Assembly.

He explained that following the Supreme Court judgment, they had invited the Governor to present the Budget before them on March 3, but he failed.

“We were the ones who, immediately after that judgment, appealed to the Governor to bring his appropriation bill. We acted immediately because we have the interest of the State at heart and didn’t want Rivers people to suffer any harm,” George posited.

But in his interview with Arise Television, Cole  maintained that the crisis will stop investment in the state.

Locking out the Governor, Cole added, is a clear statement that he is just a Governor by title, but remains an empty and powerless one. Power has left him.

Cole: “I am looking forward to the day we will be called to come and discuss progress in Rivers State. What is happening is pure power play. At the end of the day, the people suffer, Rivers State suffers and we are not going to get any investment.

“The Governor being locked out by the House of Assembly members is purely a statement being made to him that you may have the title of governor, but you do not govern this State, the power has shifted and this is what is being said loudly and clearly, and it does not mean well for us. Fubara was given an ultimatum to present the budget within a specific time.

“In a Government with peace between the executive and legislative, you don’t see any of these sheneinigas. What we have here is a full-blown declaration of war on both sides, and people will bleed for it.”