Rivers: APC candidate, Tonye Cole, lauds Appeal Court judgement

Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Rivers state, Tonye Patrick Cole, has lauded the pronouncement of Justice Mohammed Mustapha of the Appeal Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State which has stayed execution of Federal High Court’s ruling which barred the APC from fielding its candidates in the forthcoming general elections in Rivers State.

Justice Mustapha on Monday stated that since all parties affected by Justice Omotosho’s judgement have appealed it, it would be unjust not to grant the application to stay execution of the ruling.

Nigerian Tribune checks revealed that Justice Kolawole Omotosho of the Federal High Court had restrained the APC from fielding candidate in this month general elections.

Tonye Cole in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen, thanked the “brave judges and the entire judiciary for simply standing firm on the side of justice.”

The statement read in part:“I just want to take a minute to thank the Almighty God for his grace upon us all. I know without Him, this would be totally impossible. We were up against it. We still are but our God who has been with us throughout this journey will see us to the end.

I want to spare a thought for the brave judges and the entire judiciary for simply standing firm on the side of justice. We have faith in you. To all our supporters and leaders in the APC, I want to say a big thank you for keeping the faith. The times have been tough – I know, but you have showed that with God, we are already winners.

To my Rivers people, fear not. Nothing good comes easy. This is but one giant step to the promised land.

We have taken immediate steps to serve INEC by tomorrow with the ruling which will see APC back on the ballot box in time for the elections. “