PORT HARCOURT — A major political shift has hit Rivers State as Tonye Cole, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), announced his formal withdrawal from the state’s governorship primary race.

Cole, who was a leading contender for the party's ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections, explained that his decision was made to safeguard the internal peace and unity of the party's state chapter.

The announcement came just one day before the APC primary elections. Cole had previously flown the party's flag as its substantive governorship candidate during the highly contested 2023 elections in the state.

"Although I may be stepping aside from this contest, I remain fully committed to the ideals, principles, and aspirations that brought us together," Cole stated in a formal release. "I will continue to work tirelessly for the progress of our party, the development of Rivers State, and the important change we all want to see."

Decisions Tied to National Leadership Interventions

According to Cole, the painful decision to halt his campaign was made in direct obedience to strategic resolutions established by the national leadership of the APC during recent high-level stakeholder reconciliation meetings.

The oil mogul noted that before making the decision public, he underwent extensive consultations with his immediate family, political associates, grassroots team leaders, and key financial backers across the state.

Describing himself as a loyal party loyalist and a firm believer in structural democracy, Cole emphasized that building strong institutional foundations is far more valuable to sustainable regional development than individual political pursuits.

The sudden shift heavily impacts the dynamics of the Rivers State APC primaries. Other prominent names who picked up forms to vie for the ticket include the incumbent state governor, Siminalayi Fubara; former Commissioner for Works, Dakorinama George Kelly; and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda.

Pledging Support for the Eventual Nominee

In his address to thousands of loyal party faithful, youth mobilization wings, and local women's groups, Cole urged his supporters to remain completely calm, orderly, and cooperative with the directives of the national executive committee.

He explicitly pledged his unalloyed support and full resources to whoever eventually emerges as the official flagbearer at the conclusion of the primary voting exercise.

Cole concluded by calling for total reconciliation across the various internal factions within the state, asking members to unite aggressively to secure clear electoral victories for the president and all APC candidates in the upcoming 2027 general elections.

The prominent opposition figure steps aside just hours before the scheduled voting to support a unified front.