Rivers Governorship: No Serious Challenger for Wike as Appeal Court Strikes Out Tonye Cole’s Suit

Today, Friday, 9 March, an Appeal Court in Port Harcourt struck out the matter brought by Tonye Cole, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and others, challenging the Federal High Court judgment that de-listed APC from the ballot.

In other words, he was to be barred from participating in the Governorship election on Saturday 9 March. Now, his worst fear has manifested!

By implication, therefore, Governor Nyesome Wike, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be contesting the Saturday, 9 March election with paperweights candidates of other nondescript parties.

The Appeal Court judges, in a unanimous decision, struck out Cole’s suit for what they called “lack of merit,” and stated that they totally agreed with the earlier judgments delivered by other courts on the matter.

It will be recalled that the courts, including the Supreme Court, have, in previous judgments, disqualified Tonye Cole and others and delisted the APC candidate from Rivers State from participating in the governorship election.

Given the above, Governor Wike, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be contesting the Saturday 9 March elections with paperweights candidates of other parties.