The Director, Media and Communication, Dumo Lulu-Briggs Governorship Campaign Council, Sotonye Ijuye-Dagogo has reacted to the call by Pastor Tonye Cole in Degema that all governorship candidates of Kalabari extraction should join forces with him.
Ijuye-Dagogo said that the public show in Degema confirms his position that Tonye Cole is unserious and is merely mouthing Kalabari unity, saying that a serious minded person would first seek a proper platform for dialogue instead of exhibiting a sense of entitlement.
“My attention has again been drawn to comments by the Rivers State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Pastor Tonye Cole in Degema, calling on Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs to join forces with him (Tonye Cole) in his bid to become the next governor.
“The public show in Degema confirms our earlier position that Tonye Cole is unserious and is merely mouthing Kalabari unity. If not he should have sought proper platforms for dialogue instead of exhibiting a sense of entitlement”.
Recall that Tonye Cole made the same call weeks ago in Buguma and the Dumo Lulu-Briggs Governorship Campaign Council said that it was disrespectful, amateurish and playing to the gallery for Tonye Cole to go on air without first speaking with his brother, Dumo Lulu-Briggs.
The Director said that although Dumo Lulu-Briggs is of Kalabari extraction and a prominent Kalabari Chief, he is running for governor on a PAN RIVERS platform.
Ijuye-Dagogo asked to know when Tonye Cole began to believe in Kalabari unity and collaboration in politics because the same Tonye Cole allowed himself to be used in 2019 by the leadership of APC to shortchange the Kalabari candidates he is calling upon now. He asked Tonye Cole to let the sleeping dog lie and desist from his distracting antics.
“Yes! Dumo Lulu-Briggs is Kalabari but he is running for Governor on a PAN RIVERS platform.
“In any case, when did Tonye Cole remember that Dumo and him are Kalabari? Why did he allow himself to be used in 2019 by the leader of APC to shortchange Dumo who had spent a fortune rebuilding the party?
“Who between Dumo Lulu-Briggs and Tonye Cole better understands the sensibilities of Kalabari and has contributed more to Kalabari unity and progress?
“Even as Tonye Cole was playing to the gallery in Degema, the Amayanapu of several communities in Asari-Toru Local Government Area gathered at Okpo Town to adopt Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs as the preferred governorship candidate.
“Tonye Cole should allow the sleeping dog lie and desist from his distracting antics”.
