Immediate past Senator that represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Ngei Magnus Abe says hope is still alive to change the narrative of Rivers politics which invests power in certain individuals to dictate and impose leaders on the people instead of the people choosing their own leaders.
Consequently, a political movement, tagged ‘PROJECT SMA’ to sensitize and reawaken the consciousness of Rivers electorate to their power and responsibility to take their destiny in their own hands and stop those who are into politics for their own personal interests is to be launched across the 23 local government areas of the state.
Senator Abe dropped the hint while addressing a crowd of supporters at his hometown, Bera, Gokana Local Government Areas of the State who trooped out in their numbers to welcome him back from Abuja after the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election which his principal and sole candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu won with landslide over other aspirants including the former Rivers State Governor, and immediate past Transportation Minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
The former Senator who has had running battles with the APC leadership in the State over what he called ‘one man show’, however, regretted that the people had been deceived for a very long time by self-seeking politicians who have given nothing in return to the people other than poverty, hunger, misery and sorrow.
He said the time to change all that is now as the Rivers people in particular and the Niger Delta generally are now wiser.
Abe cautioned that the first step to achieving the change was for every adult citizen in the state to go and register and obtain their permanent voting cards (PVCs).
Regarding the political movement, Abe said every machinery has been put in place to recruit volunteers who are expected to undergo about one month training before being deployed to their mobilization areas in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
He also called for those willing to serve as volunteers to visit his ‘Freedom House’ located on Evo Road, GRA Phase 3, Port Harcourt for registration and recruitment.
Sen. Abe was however quick to announce that volunteers will not be paid any salary as their service will be in line with the effort to sanitize the state and wrest power back to the people.
Thanking the people for their unwavering support and comradeship in his struggle to direct them on the path of truth, Abe recalled his calculation and strong conviction which informed his liaising and campaigning for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for the APC presidential ticket which came true as he predicted.
He also reiterated that Sen. Ahmed Tinubu would be the next president of Nigeria after the 2023 general elections and enjoined his supporters to remain steadfast in their support.
But most confounding was Abe’s boldness and assurance that his name would be on the ballot for the governorship election in Rivers State in 2023. He did not give details.
Unconfirmed report however, indicated that Senator Abe might have gotten the governorship nod of a new political party to be made public soon under which he will be contesting for the office of Governor of Rivers State.
The new party according to the unconfirmed report is also expected to adopt the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as its presidential candidate as well.
Recall the APC had concluded its governorship primary election in the state which saw Engr. Tonye Cole emerge as the party’s sole candidate.
Magnus Abe did not take part in the election on ground of alleged irregularities preceding the election.
“I want to assure you once again, that I, Ngei Magnus Abe; my name will be on the ballot to contest the governorship election of this state in 2023. No one single individual has the right to impose a leader on the people. It is for the people to decide who will govern them.
Such a person must have the requisite qualification. He should know the people, love the people and be willing to work for the people. It is not about the party, but about the individual. I have the capacity to work for my people, I know my people and they know me. I have all it takes to govern this state. I have therefore made myself available to Rivers people to be considered for the Office of the Governor of the State in 2023”, the Ogoni-born lawyer politician declared amid wild ovation from the emotionally charged supporters.
Sen. Abe also used the occasion to commend and congratulate his political rival, Chibuike Amaechi for his courage to contest for the APC presidential ticket though he lost.
He said it was only natural to feel sad and disappointed for losing a fight but the beauty of the APC experiment was that a level playing field was provided by the party leadership for all the aspirants to try their weight and in the end left no one aggrieved.
Those who failed were convinced they tried but could not make it, Senator Abe remarked, stressing that the APC national leadership and President Muhammadu Buhari should be applauded and congratulated for the feat.
