Tonye Cole, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the 2023 Rivers State governorship election, has raised serious concerns over the political challenges currently facing Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, which aired on Thursday, Cole highlighted the growing tension within the political landscape of Rivers State, stating that Governor Fubara may soon face an impeachment threat due to the escalating political crisis.
Cole’s warning comes on the heels of a recent Court of Appeal ruling, which upheld a Federal High Court decision to nullify the presentation and approval of the Rivers State 2024 budget. This development, according to Cole, places Governor Fubara in a precarious position as he faces intense scrutiny and potential legal challenges to his leadership.
The Court of Appeal’s decision, which effectively invalidates the state’s budget, has left the governor in what Cole described as a “dangerous political situation,” one that is now severely impacting governance and administration within the state. According to Cole, this ruling could open the door to significant political consequences for the Fubara administration.
He elaborated further during the interview, explaining, “The governor finds himself in a very precarious political situation. By presenting the budget back to the assembly, the implication is that the assembly, now led by Amaewhule, is recognized as the legal assembly.”
Cole noted that with this recognition, Governor Fubara may soon have to face a potential impeachment issue, as the tensions between the various political factions in the state reach new heights.
He continued, “Once that happens, the governor will have to navigate this delicate situation with the possibility of impeachment hanging over his head. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the political landscape in Rivers State is fragmented, with the governor being from the PDP, the state house of assembly being dominated by the APC based on the recent court case, and the local government structure being controlled by the APP. Essentially, you now have three different political parties governing various arms of the state, which makes the situation even more volatile.”
In his remarks, Cole expressed concern that the real victims of this political battle are the people of Rivers State. He stated that the ongoing crisis has led to a standstill in development and progress within the state, particularly for the ordinary citizens.
“The people of Rivers are the ones who are suffering the most in this political crisis,” Cole lamented. “As it stands right now, the interests of the people do not seem to matter in the equation that is being played out. If the interests of the Rivers people were truly on the table, we would not be where we are today. This entire situation is being driven by a small political family feud, and as a result, there is no development happening in the state. The political battle is directly affecting the poor man on the street, who is being neglected amidst this struggle for power.”
Cole concluded by emphasizing that the ongoing crisis must be addressed quickly in order to prevent further deterioration of governance in Rivers State, and he urged political leaders to refocus their attention on the well-being and development of the people they were elected to serve.
