Tonye Cole’s ambition of becoming the governor of Rivers State has crashed like a tokunbo car engine as the Port Harcourt division of the appeal court on Wednesday, December 12, 20108 upheld the nullification of the Rivers All Progressives Congress (APC) congresses.

The court struck out the appeal filed by Tonye Cole, the factional Rivers APC governorship candidate.

The appeal filed by factional chairman of Rivers APC, Ojukaye Flag Amachree, was also dismissed, a development which means the party has no ward, council, and state executives.

The Amachree-led executive had overseen the exercise which produced Cole as the party’s governorship candidate.

But a high court judgment of October 10 voided the congresses, including the election of Cole, on the grounds of disobedience to the court order.

Abubakar Yahaya, the justice who chaired the three-man appeal court panel, said the appeal against the high court judgement on the party’s congresses lacks merit.

The third appeal which centered on the judgement by Justice Chinwendu Nwogu was dismissed because it was filed out of time.

The Amachree-faction of Rivers APC is loyal to Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation who is backing Cole.