The senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, has been charged to tender an unreserved apology to President Muhammadu Buhari, for the embarrassment his recent actions have caused the President.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, who gave the charge in a statement circulated in Port Harcourt on Sunday, described Senator Abe’s strategy of dropping the names of leaders of the party, including those of the president and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as embarrassing and cowardly.
Eze, who was spokesman of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), expressed sadness that Senator Abe has continued to divide the party by allowing external forces, who are bent on stopping the progressive vision of the APC and its South-South Leader and Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to deliver Rivers state from the grasp of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The party chieftain’s reaction followed from the recent denial by President Buhari of having any hand in any aspirant’s intentions in Rivers state, debunking an earlier claim by the senator of having the President’s backing for his aspiration to the River state governorship.
“Senator Magnus Abe have for some time now fly the names of the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Aisha Buhari the Nigeria’s First lady and the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the people behind his candidature. As if the damage he has done by using the names of these great leaders to deceive his innocent followers that he is the candidate to beat, as far as the APC ticket is concerned in River state is not enough, dragging the name of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muammadu Buhari, into his unholy game is most despicable, untoward and unacceptable.
“This politics of blackmail so far adopted by Magnus Abe, in pursuance of his elusive dream of governing Rivers state, can’t be said to be the best strategy in achieving this. I am very sad that Abe, who is one of the most enlightened Rivers politicians, could be making this unpardonable mistakes that has not only worsened his case, but make it impossible for him to secure the ticket of APC, no matter whatever strategy he decides to adopt”, Eze said.
He further noted that the Senator had made some serious mistakes along the way to seeking the party’s ticket, the mistakes which he believed Abe should be working to correct, rather than further seeking the party’s ticket at this time.
According to Eze, the mistakes made by the Senator include “starting a fight with his brother and friend, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who loves him so much and has invested so much into his (Abe’s) political career, was a blunder he would have tried to avoid, no matter the push by some external forces that don’t understand the mystery or mysterious forces behind the politics of the South-South Leader of APC.
“Secondly to refuse to participate in the Congresses of APC in Rivers State have ruled him out of contention for those who are to fly the flags of APC come 2019 no matter what ‘gangerdism’ he may decide to adopt. To allow Governor Wike to influence most of his recent political moves aimed at decimating the structure of the party in the state. Setting up of an illegal APC Structure in Rivers State after knowing that there is a duly constituted party structure under the chairmanship of Ojukaye Amaechree in the State. Distancing himself from the activities of the party since the beginning of 2018 and aligning himself with the Senate President and PDP members in the National Assembly to frustrate the APC led Federal Government policies and delaying the passage of the Budget on time. Lastly attempting to drag the names of party leaders including both the National leader of the party and that of President Buhari without their approval into his unholy drive for the APC ticket”, he said.
Eze, however, pleaded with Abe to apologise to President Buhari for this unwarranted embarrassment, which according to him, under normal circumstances ought to have fetched the senator a suspension from the party.
He also reassures President Buhari that Rivers state APC would elect a credible candidate who will ensure victory for the party during the 2019 general elections.
