By Ishaya Ibrahim
Former Minister of Transportation and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, was today welcome with a rousing song during a visit to the Mile1 market in Port Harcourt.
A political associate of the former minister, Tonye Cole, is the candidate of the APC in an election that has four front runners – the Peoples Democratic Pary’s Siminialayi Fubara, the Social Democratic Party’s Magnus Abe and the Labour Party’s Beatrice Itubo.
Analysts have, however, narrowed the race between the PDP’s Fubara, who is backed by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and the APC’s Tonye Cole, who has the support of the former governor of the state, Amaechi.
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About Fubara
Fubara was former Accountant General of Rivers State between December and May 2022 when he emerged the flag bearer of the PDP for the 2023 governorship election. He was born in Opobo Town in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Before clinching the flag of the PDP in May 2022, Fubara and 58 other government officials of Rivers State were declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for an alleged NGN 435 billion fraud. He was also wanted for a N117 billion fraud alongside four other Rivers State government officials. Additional charges by the EFCC included alleged criminal conspiracy, money laundering, misappropriation of public funds, and abuse of office.
About Cole
Tonye Cole, son of former managing director of Daily Times, Patrick Dele Cole, was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Cole is one of the co-founder and former Group Executive Director of Sahara Group, an energy conglomerate with operations spanning the entire energy chain in Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries to East Africa and beyond.