The Guardian Nigeria News16 Feb 2026
2027: COLE2Lead rallies 31,900 emerging leaders on good governanceVote comparison
PDP
62.53%
▸ APC
19.69%
Election2023 Gubernatorial Elections →
RaceRivers race →
StateRivers →
Born1 January 1968 (age 58)
GenderMale
EducationUniversity of Lagos, University of Brasília, Harvard Business School
BirthplaceAbonnema
OccupationPolitician
QualificationFIRST SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE GCSE O' LEVEL B.ES / B.ARCHWhat do these qualifications mean?
Running MateBarikor Innocent Bariate
Cole Tonye Patrick is a Nigerian politician who contested the 2023 Gubernatorial Elections as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Rivers. They received 95K votes (19.69%).
In this race · 2023 Gubernatorial ElectionsAll candidates →
Biography
Patrick Dele-Cole (born 1940) is a Nigerian politician, journalist, historian, and diplomat who in 1976 became the managing director of the Daily Times.
He was also a presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the early 1990s, and was Nigeria's ambassador to Argentina and Brazil.
He is author of the book Modern Traditional Elites in the Politics of Lagos.
He attended the University of Otago, New Zealand, where he earned a first-class honours degree.
He also studied at Cambridge University.
As a managing director of the Daily Times in 1976, he restored the paper's former influence to become one of Africa's largest at that time, and brought in influential journalists, including Dele Giwa and Dr. Stanley Macebuh.
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In The News
THISDAYLIVE26 Jan 2026
Tonye Cole Empowers 230,000 Youths in Rivers Statenigerianeye.com6 Dec 2025
FCT Minister Wike Faces N40 Billion Defamation Suit From Tonye ColeDaily Post Nigeria5 Dec 2025
Tonye Cole vs Wike: FCT High Court schedules case for December 9TheNigeriaLawyer7 Nov 2025
“They Stole Our Gas For $308 Million” — Cole Files ₦40.5B Defamation Suit Against Wike Over September 18 Politics Today Remarks On Channels TVShow 10 more articles
the authority news17 Oct 2025
FULL TEXT: Tonye Cole to sue Wike for N20billion over defamatory commentTheNigeriaLawyer16 Oct 2025
“I’m Not A Thief” — Tonye Cole Seeks Public Apology, ₦20bn Compensation From Minister Wike Over Alleged Defamation On Channels TVSahara Reporters16 Oct 2025
Rivers Ex-Governorship Candidate Tonye Cole To File N20billion Suit Against FCT Minister Wike Over “Injurious Comments” On TVTHISDAYLIVE21 Feb 2025
Tonye Cole, Hon. Bello El-Rufai Fulfill N5 Million Scholarship Commitment for UNIABUJA StudentsTheCable5 Apr 2024
Tonye Cole resigns from Sahara Energy to join politicsThe Guardian Nigeria News23 May 2023
Rivers election: APC’s Tonye Cole denies withdrawing petition against PDPTribune Online15 Sept 2022
Don’t be jealous of my wife, she stood by me when I needed her most — Tonye ColeThe Sun Nigeria22 Jan 2022
Energy mogul, Tonye Cole back to schoolStyle Rave24 Jan 2019
Tonye Cole: The Case Of A Nigerian Business Tycoon Turning To Public ServiceThe Whistler Newspaper9 Nov 2018
Tonye Cole Group Faults Wike's Directive On IDPs CampsSources
Bio, State of Origin: Wikipedia ↗
Photo, Date of Birth: Wikidata ↗
Gender, Qualifications, Running Mate: INEC ↗