2023: Peterside Resumes Consultation for Governorship in Rivers

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

 The 2015 governorship candidate under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, may have resumed his consultation for  the governorship seat in the state.

Recently, some leaders of the APC with 13 governorship aspirants had unanimously adopted Tonye Cole as the consensus candidate for the Riverine-Ijaw aspirants to face any other aspirant that may wish to contest the party primaries on the platform of the APC.

Tony Cole is presumed to be choice of the leader of the party in the state, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

According to one of the aspirants, Prince Tonye Princewill, who participated in the meeting, disclosed that, “the decision has just been made for Tonye Cole to fly the flag. It was not made by the Minister (Rotimi Amaechi). It was made by the leaders of the party”.

The governorship aspirants that gave their support to Cole, include Dr Dakuku Peterside, Dr Dawari George, Prince Tonye Princewill and Dr Sokonte Davies.

Others are  Biokpomabo Awara, Francis Ebenezer Ada, Mina Tender, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, Ibinabo Micheal-West, Tele Bertram Ikuru, Tekena Iyagba and Larry Allison.

Meanwhile, in a speech by the former Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), on his arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, yesterday, Peterside lauded Rivers people for supporting his ambition for the past years.

He alsodisclosed that he would continue his consultation process while assuring that he will not disappoint Rivers people.

He said: “I want to thank you all for coming out in your numbers, in solidarity, to welcome me home. I truly appreciate your support over the years. I will never take your loyalty to our shared vision for granted.

“A lot has happened in the last couple of days. There have been a myriad of actions and reactions and many of you have been troubled.

“Most of you who know me, and I believe the majority have followed my decisions in the past, acknowledge the fact that the greater interest of Rivers State will always guide my actions. It has never been about myself or my ambition. But had always been Rivers, first.

“I am a team player and a product of the moral, material and spiritual contributions of family and friends. Conscious of the place of history and posterity in political choices, I have come back to the people to consult since it is the people who gave me impetus to aspire in the first place.

“This is a critical phase in my aspiration because I know that I carry the dreams and aspirations of many with me. One thing I can assure you is that I will act with the best interest of our party, our state and our nation, at heart. It will not be about my personal ambition”.