APC Stakeholders adopt Abe for Governor …Call on him to contest primaries under APC …Appeal for support from Rivers South-East

David Amusa, Port Harcourt

All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders from Andoni, Khana, Gokana, Tai, Eleme, Opobo/Nkoro and Oyigbo local government areas in Rivers South-East Senatorial District have unanimously adopted Senator Magnus Ngei Abe as their candidate for Governor.

They have equally called on him to contest the Governorship primaries under the APC for the 2019 Governorship elections, assuring him of their total support.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of the Stakeholders, held on Friday,at the Gbene-Giniwa hall, Saakpenwa in Tai local government area , Rivers state.

The communiqué which was signed by Hon Chief Marcus Nle Eji, former member, Rivers state House of Assembly and Commissioner for Culture and Tourism,Rivers State, Hon Fineman Olungwe, elected Chairman Eleme Local government area, Hon. Austine Nwakoh, Former Special Adviser to the Governor, Former Commissioner for Sports Rivers state, Hon. Friday Nubari Nkeeh, member representing Khana 2 Constituency in Rivers state House of Assembly, Hon Maurice Pronen, member representing Khana/Gokana constituencies in the federal House of Representatives, Hon Chief Godwin Bazari, Hon Barry Mpigi, member representing Tai/Eleme/Oyigbo constituencies in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Matthew Dike, member representing Tai constituency in Rivers state House of Assembly,Hon Felix Nwaeke, former chairman, Oyigbo local government council,Hon. Okechukwu Akara Nwaogu, Former Member of Rivers state House of Assembly, Hon Chris Mba,Hon. Mike Amakiri, Comrade Bethel Oko-Jaja and Hon Patrick Alapuberesika, stated that the stakeholders resolved to adopt Abe as their candidate in the forthcoming primaries.

It said the reason is that Abe is acceptable, credible,competent, experienced, tested and trusted for the exalted office of Governor of Rivers State.

It also said it was based on these evaluations that he was singled out among others as the candidate that would be supported for the position.

The stakeholders in the communiqué appealed to other senatorial zones and indeed Rivers people to support a Rivers Governor from the Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

They noted that Rivers South-East remains the only senatorial District that has not produced Governor of Rivers State since its creation in 1967 over 50 years ago, pointing out that Chief Melford Okilo of Rivers West Axis now (Bayelsa State), Chief Rufus Ada George of Rivers East, Sir Dr. Peter Odili of Rivers West, Sir Celestine Omehia of Rivers East, Rt Hon Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers East, and Chief Barr Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike of Rivers East have all ruled the oil rich state.

The communiqué reads in parts; “Senator Magnus Ngei Abe is eminently qualified within our party to aspire, taking into cognizance his rich pedigree as Minority Leader, Rivers State House of Assembly (1999-2003),
Commissioner of Information, Rivers State (2003-2007),Secretary to Rivers State Government (2007-2011), Senator, Representing Rivers South-East Senatorial Zone (2011-2015), Senator, Representing Rivers South-East Senatorial Zone (2016-Date). In all of these Positions held by Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, he achieved unimpeachable records of performance, which has attracted encomiums to him in the state, Nigeria and even in Diaspora”.

“It is pertinent we demand that the next Governor of Rivers State should come from the Rivers South-East Senatorial District for Equity, Justice and Fair play. We consequently demand that the governorship candidate of our party (APC) for 2019 come from the Rivers South-East Senatorial one, while appealing to other senatorial zones and indeed Rivers people to support a Rivers Governor from the Rivers South-East Senatorial District which we believe is right, just, fair, equitable and in synchrony with inclusive democratic ethos”.

“Furthermore, politics being a game of numbers justifies this position as the Rivers South-East Senatorial axis is the largest voting block controlled by the APC in Rivers State. ‘’To whom much is given, much is expected’’