…Describes the former senator as ‘Judas Iscariot’ of Rivers APC…Says Abe’s declaration of war against the media, sign of his political end.
A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has berated Senator Magnus Abe for blaming his political woes on the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
The party chieftain, who spoke through a statement circulated to the media in Port Harcourt on Monday, said Amaechi, who is also the leader of the APC in the South-South region of the country, had played no role in the pitiful political pass that the former senator who represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District had found himself, saying it was all self-inflicted.
Eze, who was spokesman of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), said Amaechi could not have been responsible for such a natural design, describing it as part of the necessary harvests that await the former senator, who “sowed nothing but tares in the last political season in pursuit of his selfish private vendetta”.
Recall that Senator Abe, through Ibrahim Omar and others, had enmeshed the APC in Rivers State into a protracted legal battle, which saw the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) excluding the party from the 2019 general elections, denying millions of Rivers electorate their constitutional choice of electing those who will represent them in the parliament and other positions in government.
Worried over Sentor Abe’s continued hostile attitude towards the APC and the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, whose magnanimity and benevolent spirit, according to him, saw the former senator through to the height of his career in public service, Eze said Abe will end at nothing, but to destroy what remains of his reputation in the public domain.
Chief Eze, a renowned media consultant expressed dissatisfaction over the recent move by Sen. Abe to engage journalists and media houses in a legal war for publishing obvious facts, instead of squarely facing those perceived to be responsible for such comments alleged to be libellous.
Sentor Abe had in a media briefing on Tuesday October 31, 2019, announced that he has set a matter in motion at the court against The Nation Newspaper and the Vanguard, alongside Dele Adeoluwa, Bisi Olaniyi, Davies Iheanachor, Wale Akinola who are editors and reporters of the mentioned media houses.
Describing Abe’s move as an attempt to intimidate the media, Eze reminded him that ‘truth’ is an exception to the offence of libel and that all the facts contained in the publications made about him are common knowledge. The party chief said the media cannot be intimidated by Abe’s floodgate of unmeritorious law suits with very shallow foundations.
Eze expressed shock that Abe as a one time Commissioner of Information of Rivers State and the best so far should have understood the importance of the Media in a democracy like ours and ovoid exposing himself as a dictator and tyrant who does not have room for alternative opinion and desist earning the wrath of the Media in his inglorious downfall. To visit his misguided anger on innocent Journalists and Media Houses that have nothing to do with his political woes is the greatest political mistake he has made.
Eze reminded Abe that amongst Amaechi’s political disciples and allies he is the most favoured and beneficiary of the political sagacity and benevolence of Amaechi as he influenced Abe’s appointment as Commissioner of Information under the administration of Sir Peter Odili and appointed him the first Ogoni-born Secretary to the Rivers State Government. Thereafter, Amaechi took it upon himself to see the emergence of Abe as a two term Senator representing the Rivers South East Senatorial District to the detriment of more qualified and better candidates from the South East Senatorial zone.
Eze wonders what else Abe wants from Amaechi, if I may ask. Now that he has decided to play the role of the modern Judas Iscariot in the politics of Rivers State by sabotaging the political family that has taken him this far he should summon the courage to face the consequence of those who live in betrayal. Amaechi has moved on and have nothing to do with him so far the politics of Rivers State is concerned until he does the needful by apologising to the people of Rivers State for the inglorious role he played to put the party in its present state of quagmire.
On the statement credited to Abe in the Daily Trust newspaper of November 6, 2019, in which he said “the only way the crisis rocking the APC in Rivers State can be addressed is for the leaders of the party to engage all feuding camps”, Eze faulted the sincerity of his words, having allegedly murdered integrity and lost public confidence and sympathy.
He said Abe frustrated several reconciliatory efforts initiated by the South-South leader of the party, Rt. Hon. Amaechi, and other leaders of the party prior to the 2019 polls. Chief Eze, however challenged Abe to withdraw all pending cases against the party instituted through Ibrahim Omar and others to strengthen his sincerity, adding that the door of the party remains open to genuine dialogue.
Eze dismissed Sen. Abe’s claim that Amaechi planned to expel some leaders of the party loyal to him, but maintained that a minor restructure was carried out solely to strengthen the party in preparation towards the 2019 elections, which was of great interest to the party.
“If there were plans to expel people, then Abe wouldn’t still be a party member till this moment. His plot to rewrite history cannot hold water. It’s an effort in futility”, Eze said.
He, however, counseled Sen. Abe to retrace his steps, make amends and utilize a more apologetic approach to appease aggrieved stakeholders within the party, especially Rivers electorate, whose chance of instituting democratic tenets and good governance in public service during the 2019 polls, was stalled and kept in limbo.
He tasked members of the party to remain peaceful as they go about their normal businesses, assuring that the party will emerge stronger and better.
