By Emeka Amaefula
HOW SENATOR MAGNUS ABE PLANS TO WIN RIVERS STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN 2023
—DECLARES SUPPORT FOR ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU
The Rivers state political landscape took a different shape in the final week of July, 2022 as distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe at last pitched his tent with the Social Democratic Party-SDP having resigned his membership of All Progressives Congress-APC where he was denied gubernatorial ticket in Rivers state. Early than now the Ogoni born politician had kept all his supporters guessing where and what next will he be coming out with as mounted big Billboard with the inscription “Senator Magnus Abe Will Be On the 2023 Ballot” urging his teeming supporters to go out and validate their Permanent Voters’ Cards which will enable them participate actively in the 2023 general elections.
In 2019 Senator Magnus Abe who represented Rivers South east Senatorial District at the Senate of the 8th National Assembly was in fact a politician many had seen as a probable Governor in waiting but the Supreme Court judgment which ruled that Rivers state chapter of APC should not be on the 2019 ballot papers due to the State delegates List infraction. With two warring parties composed of Senator Magnus Abe on one side and His Excellency Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on another side of the protracted political conflict which had defied reconciliation. Angered by the incessant political imbroglio Senator Magnus Abe with his teeming supporters of the Freedom House defied leader of the party in Rivers State Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in his surreptitious choice of Architect Pastor Tonye Dele Cole as the Governorship candidate who was finally voted in by delegates.
How in 2022 Senator Abe first asked his factional chairman Honourable Golden Chioma to join the SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY-SDP as most of their followers joined the party en masse later. Given his worked out plans for realizing his political ambition, Senator Abe set up SMA Group a Socio-political pressure association which has established presence in the 319 political wards in Rivers state 23-Local Government Areas.
For those who knows Senator Abe with his experience in Rivers state politics also knows his antecedent in political organization as former lawmaker Rivers state House of Assembly, former Commissioner for Information, former secretary-To -Rivers State Government-SSG and Senator Rivers state South East Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly.
Before his defection to SDP, Senator Abe has been leader of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidential Supporters Group in Rivers state. And he still maintains that position even though he is currently in the Social Democratic Party-SDP in Rivers state but leading APC Presidential candidate in Rivers state.
On 29th July, 2022 in a Press state signed by senator Abe’s Media Spokesman Parry Saroh Benson quoted Abe as responding to enquiries about his defection to SDP said “Yes I am and I have been a member of the social democratic party SDP. I remain irrevocably committed to the ideals that have driven my politics through the years. And will continue to do all we can to improve internal democracy in the politics of our country and focus on the people”. He first obtained All Progressives Congress APC Governorship Nomination and Expression of Intent Form before his defection to Social Democratic Party-SDP.
—Emeka Amaefula—08111813069
