Tonye Dele Cole, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, has expressed optimism that despite the setbacks from the judgments of the lower courts that has disqualified him from contesting March 2 governorship election, the Supreme Court will give him justice.
Cole, who expressed this optimism while speaking on a Port Harcourt based radio station audience participation programme monitored by newsmen said that he, and about two million APC supporters are optimistic that the Supreme Court will rule in the party’s favour.
He argued that the root cause of the problem in the Rivers APC was not about disobedience of valid court judgments, but the refusal of members of a faction of party to avail themselves of the internal mechanisms of the party to resolve grievances.
According to him, some aggrieved party members yielded themselves to manipulations by those who are bent on stopping APC because they are scared of going into electoral contest with the party.
On the issue of the direct and indirect primaries, which has been cited as part of causes of crisis in the party, Cole insisted that the direct primary that produced him was approved by the National Working Committee of APC.
He added that the governorship flag was officially handed over to him based on the primary: “We have never disobeyed court orders. When the Court ordered that I should stop campaigning as the APC governorship candidate, l complied. But we are hopeful that about two million APC voters who want to cast their votes would not be disenfranchised.”
On what will be his next move if the Supreme Court affirms his disqualification, he said, “If I don’t get the judgment I want at the Supreme which is last temple of justice, I will pack my bag and go.”
