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Tag: Tonye Cole

  • Rivers: Conducting council polls under sole administrator illegal, says Tonye Cole

    Rivers: Conducting council polls under sole administrator illegal, says Tonye Cole

    Former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has criticised the planned August 30 local government elections, describing them as unconstitutional and a danger to democracy.

    Cole, one of 22 prominent Rivers leaders who petitioned President Bola Tinubu over the polls, argued that the process lacked legitimacy since there is no lawfully constituted Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

    He noted that the mandatory 90-day notice was not given, legal challenges to the sole administrator’s appointment were still pending, and the arrangement breached both the spirit and letter of the constitution.

    Read Also: Matters arising from proposed Rivers LG poll

    “Regardless of whether the sole administrator’s appointment was right or wrong, that is before the courts. But because that process is on, it is very careless to conduct local government elections under that canopy,” Cole said in an interview.

    He urged that the sole administrator’s term, which ends next month, be allowed to expire so elections can be held under a legitimate government, adding that the peace deal between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now makes it possible for the governor to conduct the polls once he resumes full duties.

    Cole said, “If the peace is real, then the state governor will be coming back to office in a month’s time, at which point you can conduct council elections under an elected, legitimate government. I cannot understand this rush unless there is something untoward. Things just do not add up.”

    He recalled that a similar election previously conducted under contentious circumstances in the state was nullified by the Supreme Court, warning that the current exercise could suffer the same fate.

  • Tonye Cole takes strong stand with BHI

    Tonye Cole takes strong stand with BHI

    For successful businessman, politician and philanthropist, Tonye Cole, his word has always remained his bond. One of his strong attributes aside from his success in the world of business is his consistency in contributing to humanity in any measure.

    As it is, Tonye has taken a strong stand with the Behavioural Health Institute in combating mental health and creating awareness for the health issue.

    Social Circuit can confirm that Cole, alongside his beautiful wife, Dr Sylvia, have collaborated with top health professionals led by Dr Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri, in the mental health field to provide support and necessary attention to patients and Nigerians suffering from various mental health issues.

    Read Also: I’m inspired by what’s happening in Nollywood, says Jumoke Odetola

    Unknown to many, Cole founded the Behavioral Health Institute (BHI) in 2018 to address the critical gaps in mental health care in Nigeria, with the aim of improving access to care through technology and enhancing understanding of behavioural health disorders through research, Cole and his team have moved a step further.

    Cole, through BHI, has offered to provide mental health care, support and services to 1000 Nigerians between September and December 2024 at no cost.

    To this end, the Rivers State APC candidate in the last governorship election decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro alongside his son to raise awareness of the need for Nigerian youths to believe in the possibility of surmounting mental issues.

    In the same vein, Cole has also called on well-meaning Nigerians to join in raising funds to the tune of N500 million by year-end, in supporting and caring for Nigerian youths dealing with mental issues. The funds will provide free therapy/coaching for 1,000 Nigerian youths and contribute to training mental health professionals and integrating innovative technology solutions to widen the reach of care in Nigeria.

    Cole, it was further gathered, is not resting his oars on ensuring millions of Nigerians – especially youths – are cared for and given the needed support to surmount mental health issues without being stigmatised.

  • Supreme Court seals Rivers APC’s fate

    It was the end of the road on Thursday for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State as the Supreme Court struck out three appeals filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Patrick Cole and members of his faction of the party.

    The appeals were against the judgment that excluded the APC from fielding candidates in the last elections in the state.

    A seven-man panel of the apex court, led by Justice Ibrahim Muhammad held, in a ruling on Thursday that the three appeals were defective, incompetent and could not be heard by the court.

    The appeals were: SC/295/ 2019 filed by APC, with People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) listed among respondents; SC/266/2019 filed by APC, with Magnus Abe and others as respondents and SC/267/2019 filed by Tonye Patrick Cole, with Magnus Abe and others as respondents.

    Justice Muhammad, in the first ruling delivered on SC/295/2019, upheld that argument by PDP’s lawyer, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) to the effect that the notice of appeal filed by the APC was defective.

    Read Also: Rivers APC Primaries, INEC and Supreme Court uncertainty

    The judge noted that, rather the heading a portion of the notice of appeals “Reliefs sought from the Supreme Court,” it was wrongly headed “Reliefs sought from the Court of Appeal.”

    He said the implication of that error was that the appellant did not seek any relief from the Supreme Court, and thereby contravened the court’s rules, particularly Order 8 Rule 2, a development that rendered the appeal incompetent.

    The same errors were noticed in the other two appeals, which made the appellants’ lawyers, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) and Tuduru Ede to withdraw both appeals, following which the court struck them out.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had, based on a judgment of a Rivers State High Court, which was upheld by the Court of Appeal, excluded candidates of the Rivers APC from its last elections.

    By the three appeals, the APC had sought a consolidation of all existing appeals relating to the dispute over the primary elections held in the state; the avoiding of the judgment on which INEC acted and the recognition of Patrick Cole and others as the party’s actual candidates.

    Patrick Cole (APC governorship candidate) and others had emerged from the primary conducted by a faction of the party, which the Senator Magnus Abe faction objected to.

    When the first appeal marked: SC/295/2019 was called, Okutepa, for the appellant, adopted the appellant’s brief of argument and urged the court to allow the appeal.

    Okutepa urged the court to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which described the appeal by the APC against the judgment of the trial court as mere academic exercise.

    He urged the court to invoke it powers under Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act to hear and determine this issue on the merit and grant the reliefs the Court of Appeal failed to grant.

    While responding, Ukala urged the court to dismiss the appeal for being unmeritorious and uphold his preliminary objection.

    Ukala in arguing his preliminary objection, referred the court to page 1768, volume 3 of the records of appeal and argued that the reliefs sought by the appellant, as contained in the page, are not grantable by this court.

    He noted that “all the reliefs it (the appellant) sought can only be granted by the Court of Appeal, because it is directed at that court. In this instance, there are no valid reliefs before this court.”

    Ukala, who argued that the error noted in the notice of appeal was fatal to the appeal, said it breached Order 2 Rule 8 and Order 8 Rule 2 of the Supreme Court’s Rules.

    He argued that, by asking the court to invoke Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act to determine the case on the merit and set aside the judgment in the suit marked: PHC/78/2018, the appellant wants the court to overrule itself.

    Ukala contended that the court had, in its earlier decisions in cases relating to the
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  • Breaking: Rivers poll: Supreme Court rejects APC, Tonye Cole’s three appeals

    The Supreme Court has struck out three appeals filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Patrick Cole and members of his faction of the party, against the judgment that excluded the APC from fielding candidates in the last elections in Rivers State.

    A seven-man panel of the apex court, led by Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, held that three appeals were defective, incompetent and could not be heard by the court.

    The appeals are: SC/295/ 2019 filed by APC, with People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) listed among respondents; SC/266/2019 filed by APC, with Magnus Abe and others as respondents and SC/267/2019 filed by Tonye Patrick Cole, with Magnus Abe and others as respondents.

    Read Also: Supreme Court refuses appeal by sacked Kwara APC exco

    Justice Muhammad, in the first ruling delivered on SC/295/2019, upheld that argument by PDP’s lawyer, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) to the effect that the notice of appeal filed by the APC was defective.

    The judge noted that rather than heading a portion of the notice of appeals “Reliefs sought from the Supreme Court,” it was wrongly headed “Reliefs sought from the Court of Appeal.”

    He said the implication of that error was that the appellant did not seek any relief from the Supreme Court, and thereby contravened the court’s rules, a development that rendered the appeal incompetent.

    The same errors were noticed in the other two appeals, which made the appellants’ lawyers, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) and Tuduru Ede to withdrew both appeals, following which the court struck them out.

    Details later.

  • Tonye Cole, Accord Party assembly candidates call for fresh election in Rivers

    RIVERS State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain,  Tonye Cole and Accord Party assembly candidates have called for fresh a governorship and legislative election in the state.

    They alleged that many controversies have trailed the March 9 exercise, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  to organise a fresh poll. Affirming the lack of confidence in the system by the two major parties involved in the contest, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Action Congress (AAC), Cole said any result emerging from the March 9 poll will not be acceptable to the losing party.

    He (Cole)  was however silent on what will be his involvement in a fresh election in his statement titled: “A plea for righteous intervention in Rivers State.” Noting the mutual suspicion between the two parties and the acrimony triggered by the contest, Cole pleaded for a fresh start under heavy security to guarantee the will of the people.

    He said: “If there is one thing that I am certain of, it is that the entire election of March 9 is totally and completely compromised from head to toe. There are no results that would be announced today that would reflect the will of the people in any form or manner.

    “There are just as many people who do not trust and will not accept an election that delivers PDP today because of the belief that the umpire has granted unfettered access to the result sheets and a yeoman’s job has been done on the collated results that is guaranteed to withstand any scrutiny through the Election Tribunals or any court of law thereafter just as there are as many people who will not accept a result that delivers the AAC because of the belief that the election day results were structured to favour them by the direct involvement of the military as insinuated by the PDP. “INEC must, therefore, declare the entire elections of March 9 null and void and set out a new date for fresh elections.

    Read also: DSS denies working against electoral process in Rivers

    “This time around, there are no distractions left and every eye is upon Rivers State now.” Speaking yesterday in Port –Harcourt, the Accord Party assembly candidates said the call for fresh election followed the confirmation that the March 9, exercise was characterized by violence which affected the holding of the polls. In a communiqué presented by the group’s spokesman, Duke Alamboye, the candidates called on INEC to set up a new date for fresh governorship and house of assembly elections in the state, within the stipulated time as approved by the Electoral Law.

    Alamboye who contested to represent  Akuku-Toru State Constituency II also called for the redeployment of Obo Effanga, the Resident Electoral Commissioner “and other critical staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC who participated and were involved in the March 9 election in Rivers State, especially given the fact that they have been victims of the intimidations, harassments, abductions and hostage situations they were exposed to during the elec tion.” “We also state clearly, that we have completely disregarded any earlier declared results in connection with the March 9, polls in Rivers State, as these figures are products contrived from very faulty processes, which have rendered them inchoate and unreliable.”

  • APC’s Cole calls for fresh governorship poll in Rivers

    Rivers State All Progressives Congress(APC) governorship candidate Tonye Cole on Friday called for fresh a governorship election.

    He said many controversies have trailed the March 9 exercise, urging the umpire to organise a corrective poll.

    Affirming the lack of confidence in the system by the two major parties involved in the contest, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Action Congress (AAC), he said any result emerging from the March 9 will not be acceptable to the losing party.

    Cole was silent on what will be his own involvement in a fresh election in his statement titled: “A plea for righteous intervention in Rivers State.”

    Noting the mutual suspicion between the two parties and the acrimony triggered by the contest, Cole pleaded for a fresh start under heavy security to guarantee the will of the people.

    He said: “If there is one thing that I am certain of, it is that the entire election of March 9th is totally and completely compromised from head to toe. There are no results that would be announced today that would reflect the will of the people in any form or manner.

    “There are just as many people who do not trust and will not accept an election that delivers PDP today because of the belief that the umpire has granted unfettered access to the result sheets and a yeoman’s job has been done on the collated results that is guaranteed to withstand any scrutiny through the Election Tribunals or any court of law thereafter just as there are as many people who will not accept a result that delivers the AAC because of the belief that the election day results were structured to favour them by the direct involvement of the military as insinuated by the PDP.

    “INEC must therefore declare the entire elections of March 9th null and void and set out a new date for fresh elections.

    “This time around, there are no distractions left and every eye is upon Rivers State now. The violent elements can be caged and neutralized so they are ineffective on the day of election. We have seen this happen.

    “The people can come out to vote without the fear of intimidation and harassment. We know this is possible.

    “The electoral officials can carry out their duties without compromise or fear of terror. We know this is achievable.

    Cole added: “The security agencies can provide the environment that enables them operate professionally and efficiently without fear of being shot at or killed in the line of duty.

    “We know this is desirable. The party agents and politicians can carry out their duties without the fear of being killed or maimed for their affiliations. We know this is progress.

    “This is a clarion call to the good men out there to conduct fresh elections in Rivers State where the entire focus of the world at large is upon our activities and us.

    “Let us give this land and its people something to cherish and be proud of, a solid foundation to build upon; a democratically elected government that is chosen by her people, freely and fairly, whether or not the chosen candidate is one who just entered politics yesterday or a veteran. Let us allow the people to choose and let their voice be heard loudly and respected completely.”

  • Ignore vituperations of defecting Yeeh in Rivers – Tonye Cole

    The governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Pastor Tonye Cole, has urged well-meaning Rivers indigenes to ignore the vituperations of deputy governorship candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) in Rivers, Chief Akpo Yeeh, who resigned on Monday and joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Cole, who spoke in Port Harcourt through the spokesman of his campaign organisation, Ogbonna Nwuke, declared Yeeh’s view was skewed by the N200 million cash given to him by Governor Nyesom Wike of PDP.

    The co-founder of Sahara Group (Cole) said: “It is pertinent to note that neither the APC nor the Minister for Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, has in any way interfered with the internal organisation of the AAC.

    “We are aware that Yeeh, whose appetite for sudden wealth has overtaken reason, is not the author of the script that he read in his Port Harcourt residence on Monday.

    “We sympathise with Yeeh, a self-avowed young politician, whose hunt for a meal ticket has led him to mortgage his conscience for mess of porridge.

    “It is indeed laughable that the crafted statement delivered claims that the Minister for Transportation had insisted that he would appoint 90 per cent of the commissioners, 23 local government council chairmen, in an undated resignation address served to the public.

    READ ALSO: I’ll pursue my case further after Saturday’s poll – Tonye Cole

    “We are not shocked by the lies that Yeeh served the public, in order to put food on his table. It is consistent with the propaganda slant of the PDP, used to deceive the people and deflect the attention of the Nigerian people from the fact that PDP’s candidates lost horribly in the field, because of the resolve of Rivers people to effect a change.

    “Wike and other leaders of PDP are determined to steal Rivers people’s mandate through unparalleled bribery of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other institutions.

    “Institutions that Wike and other PDP leaders have been unable to bribe are understandably at the apex of their criticisms. These institutions include the Nigerian Army, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the APC.”

    Cole also stated that he was at a loss on how a coalition between the APC and the AAC could be interpreted to mean an attempt to cause crisis in Rivers, insisting the interest of the state far outstrips the interest of an individual.

    He said: “It is obvious that what is critical at this time is the quest to deliver unto Rivers people, a government that is transparent, accountable, responsible, focused and committed to their welfare.

    “We wish to state unequivocally that political parties in this country and elsewhere in the world enjoy the right to enter into coalition with any party of their choice, for the purpose of forming a government of state or national unity, which will deliver dividends of democracy and serve the overall interest of the people.

    “It is important to observe that Yeeh’s name is already on the ballot. The sponsors of the malicious publication targeted against the Minister for Transportation against the backdrop of the defection of an unserious and hungry politician should take copious note of the decision of INEC to refuse the exit from the presidential race of Dr Oby Ezekwesiele.”

  • APC rejects suspension of electoral processes in Rivers

    The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Rivers state, Tonye Cole has said that the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to suspend the announcement of election results in Rivers State was illegal and aimed to give Gov. Nyelson Wike a soft landing, saying the decision was not covered by the nation’s laws.

    Director, Strategic Communication of the Tonye Cole campaign Organisation, Prince Tonye Princewill wondered why the commission failed to deal with areas where violence was reported, but choose to with hold the result of the entire state when the governorship candidate of the AAC and all others backed by the APC were cruising to victory.

    Princewill said the suspension of the announcement of election results in the state will stop the dethronement of the Wike as the Governor of the state.

    A statement signed by Princewill and made available to The Nation in Abuja reads: “INEC’s decision is illegal because it is not supported by law. Section 26 of the Electoral Act cited in the INEC Press Release is not even applicable because that section deals with a situation where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election, and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to conduct the election as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies, then the commission may postpone the election.

    “You can see that this provision does not apply to a situation where an election has already been conducted or held, which is the present position in Rivers State.

    “Since the elections in Rivers State have been held Saturday, INEC is bound by virtue of section 27 of the Electoral Act to announce the results. Having admitted in paragraph one of the Press Release that it has conducted elections on the 9th of March in Rivers State, INEC must by virtue of section 27 of the Electoral Act, announce the results.

    “INEC’s decision to postpone the already held elections is ultra vires, illegal and unconstitutional. Such an unlawful decision can now be challenged in court by virtue of section 26 subsection 5 of the Electoral Act. The challenge can be launched by any of the many contestants at a court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction and on such a legal challenge, the decision of INEC shall also be suspended until the matter is determined.

    “Our concerns about INEC and our lack of faith in the REC are continually validated. This was same way they suspended a by election we held a few months ago when it was clear we were winning. Now, the AAC candidate and several house of assembly candidates supported by APC are cruising to victory and they do it again.

    “Can they not just step out of the way and let the will of Rivers’ people prevail?

    Rivers state was largely peaceful. Why not deal with areas where you say you have violence and leave the other results to go through? It’s common sense. Why suspend a whole state? Wike will go. It’s only a matter of time. We always knew this. Now the world knows it too. Not even INEC can save him.”

  • I’ll pursue my case further after Saturday’s poll – Tonye Cole

    The APC governorship candidate in Rivers state, Tonye Cole has said that even though his name will not be on the ballot for the governorship election on Saturday, he was fulfilled knowing the potential available to him in the state.

    He expressed appreciation to the people of the state, especially members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for standing by him while pursuing his case in court, asking them not to lose hope.

    In a statement made available to The Nation in Abuja, Cole informed his supporters across the state that he will be pursuing his case further at the Supreme Court after Saturday’s elections.

    He said: “Over the past few months, you have stood by me in prayer and encouraged me in no small means on this journey in politics. That prayer works, is evidenced in my life and testimony throughout the battles we took on and I have nothing but praise to God for using you as a spiritual anchor in very trying times.

    “Yesterday the Court of Appeal struck out our case on the grounds that the Supreme Court rulings make it impossible for them to deal with the case and therefore we must head back up for the Supreme Court to determine the substantive matter.

    “For this reason, neither I nor any APC candidate will be in the ballot this Saturday. This is but a pit stop and I will be assessing the next steps following the completion of the election.

    “Please by no means take this as a regrettable endeavor as nothing I have done to date can compare with the life lessons I have learnt these past months and how truly fulfilled I am of the potentials available to me now to impacting multitudes in the years ahead.

    “As a party, we have adopted the AAC candidate as our preferred choice and we trust we have made that the right choice in who will lead Rivers State next.

    ” Let me enjoin us to persevere a few more days in our waiting and raising praise unto our Lord until the election is done and dusted for it is critical they are concluded peacefully, with no loss of life and most importantly that a God’s choice for elected office holders is enthroned in Nigeria.”

  • Breaking: Supreme Court dismisses APC’s appeal on Rivers election

    The Supreme Court Tuesday dismissed the appeal filed by the Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) on the 2019 elections.

    The Apex Court on Tuesday struck out an appeal filed by the party challenging the judgment of a High Court in Rivers State which barred it from conducting any primaries in the state to nominate candidates for 2019 elections.

    Read Also: Supreme Court rejects PDP’s appeal on Ogun crisis

    The Supreme Court judgement comes barely one week after the same court stopped the APC from fielding candidates in all elections in the state.

    The ruling APC was in support Mr Tonye Cole’s candidature for the governorship election which the Magnus Abe group rejected.

     

    Details Shortly….