Rivers Explosion: We Need Freedom To Speak To Our People – Tonye Cole

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has called for a peaceful campaign ahead of the governorship election in the state in March.

No fewer than three persons were reported injured when an explosion rocked the APC governorship campaign at the Rumuwoji Playground in the state capital on Thursday, with accusing fingers pointing at Governor Nyesom Wike and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the APC camp.

However, Governor Wike has distanced himself and the PDP from the incident and blamed it on the APC candidate and his party.

READ ALSO: Wike Blames APC For Port Harcourt Explosion, Threatens To Stop Atiku’s Campaign

But speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Cole said it is high time Rivers State was known for something other than violence.

“All we are saying is that we need to have the freedom to speak to our people and have them to come out and vote. Rivers State has been characterized for too long and this time around we are saying that enough is enough,” Cole said.

“We have to be known for something other than bombs and guns. We have to be known for the ideas that we have, we have to be known for what we are bringing to the people and we have to be known for a different kind of campaign.

“And I am going to continue to campaign differently, to speak differently and do things differently. No more guns, no more bombs and none of this violence, we have to be known for something different,” he added.

While faulting Wike’s blame on him for the explosion incident at his campaign, Cole asked the governor to steer clear of the election as his own time is up. He said the governor should rather allow him and the PDP’s candidate, Siminialayi Fubara to engage each other in a debate.