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The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Pastor Tonye Cole, and his team on ward-to-ward consultation narrowly escaped assassination at Bakana-Kalabari area of the state on Saturday 17 November. Cole, a businessman and co-founder of Sahara Group, however, said yesterday in Port Harcourt that he remained undeterred in his determination to ensure good governance in Rivers.

The Director-General of Tonye Cole Campaign Organisation, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, also stated that the standard bearer of APC in Rivers would pull the state out of backwardness, poverty and the abyss of bad governance. He disclosed that it took the security detachment attached to the APC’s governorship candidate to repel the attackers from advancing to kill Cole.

According to the campaign organisation’s “Bloodbath was averted at Old Bakana, as gunmen alleged to be sponsored by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), serving commissioner in Nyesom Wike’s government from the area, opened heavy gunfire on Pastor Cole and his team, as they were carrying out ward-to-ward consultation in the community.
“On arrival at the community and as is usual with the team, Pastor Cole and other leaders of the APC on the delegation had gone to pay a courtesy visit on the traditional head of the community, prior to commencement of the exercise, when heavy gunfire erupted from all directions of the community.

“Cole immediately showed courage and leadership by ordering his team members to remain calm indoors, while the security detachment attached to the team was allowed to repel the advancing armed attackers.

“It took a while before the marauding gunmen were repelled by the security men, and the area secured. Subsequently, Cole directed that the exercise must go on at the designated arena, after which the team departed for Bakana to continue with the exercise.

“Tonye Cole Campaign Organisation and APC vehemently condemn the dastardly act, reminiscent of what was carried out in 2015 against the APC and its governorship candidate (Dr. Dakuku Peterside) in Okrika, and other similar incidents carried out by PDP and their gunmen across Rivers State.”

What do you think of this assassination attempt on Tonye Cole?