Avellon Williams
RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA – Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, has said that anyone who interferes with the due electoral process on March 11 will have to choose between life and death.
In a stakeholder meeting on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Cole urged the Igbo community of Rivers state to shun all fear and vote for APC in March 18th governorship and state assembly elections, just as Rotimi Amaechi, former transportation minister, assured Igbos in Rivers that any property lost as a consequence of election violence would be adequately replaced.
In an appeal to Igbos across the state, Cole told the gathering, “Don’t entertain fear. Nobody will steal your vote. The military will be out to protect your votes. And anybody that interferes with your vote should choose between life and death.”
“Don’t go anywhere after you have voted. Make sure it is counted, entered into the results sheet, and transmitted. We will protect these votes. The future of Rivers, I dare say the future of Nigeria is at stake. 25th February will go down in the history of Rivers state as the day Igbos expressed selves loudly. You stood up, and spoke loudly and everybody knows what happened.”
On the value an APC government holds for Igbos in Rivers, Cole told them, “You will not suffer, we will not harass you, will not destroy your business, not pull down your shops to build bridges. We would rather build bridges to support your businesses and well-being when you vote us in.”
Further, he said before postponement of the polls, “You have all come out to endorse me. You have come to say you will vote APC. But it is not enough that have to endorsed me. We have two days to spread the message, make sure everyone you know comes out to vote on election day.”
In the event that any property was lost as a result of election violence, it would be adequately compensated – Amaechi.
During his address to Igbos in Rivers, Amaechi, the party’s leader, said, “We cannot win without you. If you don’t come out that day we have lost. We need you to come out, need you to stand. We need you not to be afraid. If they burn your house or shop, we will replace everything they destroy. Every kobo you lost will be given back.”
“I’m an Ibo man from Ikwerre Local Government Area. I tell people, pray Ibos don’t come together. The day Ibos come together they have won Port Harcourt City, won Obio/AkporLocal Governments. We will continue to produce chairman till we are tired.”
