Rivers State 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole, has hailed Governor Sim Fubara for his bold leadership, especially carving his path and stepping up from a previously quiet and timid political figure.
Naija News reports that Cole, while speaking on Arise TV on Wednesday, said in politics, it is either a person fights or dies, and Fubara has no choice but to step up.
He said, “For now, he doesn’t have a choice. You either fight or you die. You swim or you sink, and he has chosen to swim.”
He also commented on the current situation in which the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), holds significant sway within an APC-led government.
According to him, the situation undermines the progress of the Rivers State political structure, stressing the state is party-less and can lead to confusion and inefficiency in governance.
He remarked, “It’s a state of confusion, and that cannot be allowed to continue.
“For some reason, we have a minister that is PDP in an APC government who controls, to a large extent, both APC and PDP structures within the state.”
Reflecting on the year ahead, Cole expressed optimism about 2025, stating, “This is a year that will surprise a lot of people. It’s a year where bold and audacious steps will yield extreme results. We have never been known as a timid people.”
Speaking on the state’s 2025 budget proposal, which Governor Fubara recently presented to the state House of Assembly, Cole emphasised that while roads, bridges, and visible infrastructure are crucial, they should not overshadow the pressing need to address the state’s broader socio-economic challenges.
With a proposed figure of ₦1.1 trillion, Fubara highlighted that the state has seen unprecedented investments and substantial progress in sectors such as road infrastructure, healthcare, education, and security.
