The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers state, Tonye Cole, has said the March 11 elections were too sensitive and critical to the state that anyone who interferes with the due electoral process would be made to choose between life and death.

Cole at a stakeholder gathering in Port Harcourt on Wednesday was motivating the Igbo community in Rivers state to damn all fears and come all out to vote APC in Saturday’s governorship and State Assemblies elections, just as former transportation minister, Rotimi Amaechi assured Igbos in Rivers that any property lost to election violence would be adequately replaced.

Urging Igbos across the state to come out to vote, Cole told the gathering, “Don’t entertain fear. Nobody will steal your vote. The military will be out to protect your votes. And anybody that interferes with your vote should choose between life and death.

"Don’t go anywhere after you have voted. Make sure it is counted, entered into the results sheet, and transmitted. We will protect these votes. The future of Rivers, I dare say the future of Nigeria is at stake. 25th February will go down in the history of Rivers state as the day Igbos expressed selves loudly. You stood up, and spoke loudly and everybody knows what happened.”

On the value an APC government holds for Igbos in Rivers, Cole told them, “You will not suffer, we will not harass you, will not destroy your business, not pull down your shops to build bridges. We would rather build bridges to support your businesses and wellbeing when you vote us in.”

He added, “You have all come out to endorse me. You have come to say you will vote APC. But it is not enough that have tou endorsed me. We have two days to spread the message, make sure everyone you know comes out to vote on election day.”

Any property lost to elections violence would be adequately compensated -Amaechi

In his charge to Igbos in Rivers, Amaechi, Leader of the party said, “We cannot win without you. If you don’t com out that day we have lost. We need you to come out, need you to stand. We need you not to be afraid. If they burn your house of shop, we will replace everything they destroy. Every kobo you lost will be given back.

"I’m an Ibo man from Ikwerre Local Government Area. I tell people, pray Ibos don’t come together. The day Ibos come together they have won Port Harcourt City, won Obio/Akpor Local Governments. We will continue to produce chairman till we are tired," he added.(Vanguard)

•Tonye Cole