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Tag: Magnus Ngei Abe

  • 2019: Senator Abe declares for Rivers governorship race

    The Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe today declared his intention to contest for the governorship of Rivers State in 2019 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Abe, who made the declaration while addressing a mammoth crowd at the inauguration of Freedom House, his liaison office in Port Harcourt, said his decision to run for the governorship position is for the interest of the future of the state.

    He said, “I am glad to say that I have reached a decision which I am going to share with you on a burning issue if Senator Magnus Abe is going to vie for the governorship of this state under the APC or not. I have taken every advice and every opinion”.

    “I have taken all these views into consideration. I have also consulted my family and most importantly, I have consulted my God. There are several persons who have advised me against seeking for the office of the governor just as there are several who have advised me to go for it. Looking back now, everybody who had spoken to me did so with the best of intentions”.

    “Having taken all these into consideration, I, Magnus Ngei Dunebari Abe, I have decided to seek the nomination of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State, in the interest of our state and in the interest of the future of our people.”

    He commended his supporters for conducting themselves with decorum, saying their actions were not sign of weakness but strength.

    The senator said, “We have conducted ourselves with decorum; we have shown and will continue to show great respect for our leaders. This is not our weakness, it is our strength. We must not allow conflict entrepreneurs and frustrated politicians whose only hope for relevance and economic sustenance is the continuous balkanisation of our party”.

    “Some of them are here and some of them are there. But, all of us need to ensure that the congresses are free, fair and transparent. Any attempt to hold another hotel-style congress in Rivers State will break faith with the people of the state that we are a party committed to doing the right thing”.

    “Without the confidence of the voting public, a political party becomes a mere social club. It will be good for dancing and partying but it will not win any elections”.

    In his opening speech, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Prince Chibudom Nwuche, called on the APC to learn from the past mistakes of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the country approaches the 2019 general elections.

    Nwuche said, “Let APC learn from the mistakes of the People’s Democratic Party. PDP was imposing candidates and that was why some of us left. Today, it is happening in the APC but thank God, Senator Magnus Abe came up. Let us have a transparent congress and let the popular candidate emerge.”

    Describing Abe as one of the best sons of Rivers State, the former deputy speaker, who is also a chieftain of the APC, said Rivers State needs a leader like the senator to treat all indigenes and residents of the state equally.

    He said, “Magnus Abe is one of the best sons of Rivers State. He has embarked on a journey to free Rivers State. Magnus Abe believes on the development of Rivers State and the empowerment of the people.

    “Rivers State needs a leader like Magnus Abe, who will treat all sons and daughters equally. Rivers State needs a leader who will not victimize Rivers people and see sons and daughters of the state who have gotten national recognition as threats.”

    Speaking at the occasion, the lawmaker representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Elder Chidi Wihioka, said the people of Ikwerre ethnic nationality and Rivers East senatorial district in general will support the emergence of an Ogoni as the next governor of the state.

    Wihioka said, “Nobody can cause problem between the Ikwerre people and the Ogoni people. The cooperation between the two ethnic nationalities had been there before we were born and it will not end at our own time.

    “Ikwerre people and the Rivers East senatorial district will support the Ogoni governorship ambition because the people of Ogoni supported Ikwerre people. The four local government areas in Ikwerre are in support and our senatorial district in also in support.”

     

  • Senator Abe commends Buhari, wants more from APC NEC

    The Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has urged members of National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to place the interest of the party above every other consideration.

    He also urged them to respect the informed position of President Muhammadu Buhari to conduct congresses across all strata of the party to bring it in conformity with extant constitutional provisions of the Nigerian constitution and its own constitution.

    Abe, who spoke during an extraordinary stakeholders meeting of the party in Port Harcourt commended Buhari for his clear, bold and courageous stand on the constitutional issue of the elected party officials.

    He said, “the President’s position has not only shown that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a party that respects the true tenets of internal democracy and the dictates of the law, but has also steered the party clear of prospective danger”.

    The Senator went further to assure that the party is irrevocably committed to the restoration of Rivers State to the expected dream of the people where justice and opportunities to create wealth would be made available to all.

    Abe said, “Those of us who have faith in what we are doing, don’t be deterred, don’t be worried; continue to work hard. We are irrevocably committed to the emancipation of Rivers State. We are totally dedicated to the restoration of our state. We are completely determined to recalibrate the entire engine, the machinery of our state so that this state will be what our founding fathers had intended”.

    “A place where there would be justice for all, both small and big; a place where there would be opportunity for all both small and big. A place where every tribe, every tongue, every denomination, every stranger will feel completely at home and will be given an opportunity to contribute their own quota to the development and prosperity of our state”.

    He regretted that members of the APC has dumped the party for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), due to crumbs promised them, saying that that the solution to the hunger we are currently facing in Rivers State is not by going to beg crumbs from the table of anybody.

    Abe, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on FERMA, said, “Sometimes when you are doing something, all kinds of naysayers will come up, all kinds of doubters will come, all kinds of inflections will come to try to dissuade you, try to defray people, they try to defeat you even before you go into any contest.

    “But those who know the secret of success know that first of all before you do anything, you must first convince yourself that what you are doing is the right thing. Once you are doing the right thing at the right time and in the right place, nobody can come to shake you from what you are doing”.

    “I am saying this because some members of our party across the state who left the party were misinformed, misguided and deceived to move because they feel we are divided so they moved to somewhere, where they can see something to eat immediately”.

    “But, let me say to everybody, that the solution to the hunger we are currently facing in Rivers State is not by going to beg crumbs from the table of anybody, it is by doing the right thing so that you are strong enough to be one of those that will cook the food that will be on the table. I think it is only when we do that and we can expand the table to increase the food, that is when the challenge of hunger that is currently the bane of Rivers society will be totally and completely eliminated”.

    “Today, Rivers State has one of the highest unemployment figures in the entire country and yet, this state has some of the greatest natural advantages, with which wealth can be created but we are not giving it that attention that is needed to generate wealth and create employment opportunities for thousands of our people”.

    The communiqué issued at the end of the stakeholders meeting, which was read by Rt. Hon. Chibudom Nwuche enjoined members of the APC in Rivers State to return all party executives at all levels in the event of congresses irrespective of their factional leanings as a reward for their sacrifice and commitment to the APC, in the face of threats, intimidation and even physical danger.

    Earlier, former senator representing Rivers West District in the National Assembly, Senator Wilson Ake, who chaired the event stated that the attitude and attributes of Senator Magnus Abe has convinced members of the party to mobilize support for him.

    Also speaking, the member representing Ikwerre-Emohua Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chidi Wihioka, urged Nigerians to be vigilant and alleged that some names on permanent voter’s cards (PVC) issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are missing from the commission’s data base.

     

  • Easter: Sen. Abe preaches forgiveness

    The Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has appealed to Christians to learn how to forgive one another just as Jesus Christ forgave mankind, advising them to surrender anything in their heart that will prevent God from answering their prayers.

    “I want to use this opportunity to appeal to all of us as Christians, that we should try as much as possible to learn forgiveness. Christ, who was betrayed and crucified, forgave those who betrayed and crucified him, if he can forgive; what is it that people have done to you that you cannot forget and forgive as a Christian”.

    Abe made the appeal while speaking at a special prayer session to mark Easter Good Friday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Capital and maintained that the period should also be used for sober reflection over our lives as mankind.

    The senator said, “I want to appeal to all of us to use this time to remember our neighbours; sometime the situation they are facing may even be worse than our own. As we were praying today, I was praying to God to answer everyone because different people have different challenges and the one you think is the biggest challenge could actually be a very minor one comparing to the situation that others are facing.

    “I pray that God will remember all of us this Easter season. Finally, I want to use this opportunity to encourage each and every one of you. There is nothing in life that is of value that is easy, there is nothing in life that is useful, that you can just pick like that without struggling for it”.

    Abe, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on FERMA also appealed to Christians to use the period of the Easter celebration to remember in their prayers, the Dapchi girl who has not been released by her captors because of her refusal to deny Jesus Christ.

    “Let us use the opportunity to specially remember the Dapchi Girl, particularly the little girl that is still being held. I want to urge each and every one of us to use that girl as a point of contact to remember to thank God that you are free to worship God as you like, that you are free every day to take little decisions about your life”.

    “But there is a little girl somewhere away from her parents, away from her friends; she does not know if she will be alive tomorrow or death, but she is hanging on to the same God that you and I worship. I want us to remember that child and to pray for her not just today but every day”.

     

  • Why APC will take over Rivers in 2019 – Abe

    The senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe has said that, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is stronger than ever before and doing well in Rivers State even as he expressed confidence that the party will take over the state and retain control of the Centre in 2019.

    Abe who stated this while appearing in a live Television Programme commended the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal administration for the development of infrastructure for Rivers people.

    The Senator said, “The APC government has done more for Rivers State than the PDP government ever did. Work has started on the Bodo-Bonny Road in the state; work is also on going on the East-West Road”.

    On the Ogoni Clean-up, the senator said “The President is committed to the Ogoni clean-up and he is working. This is the take-off point. The trust fund account is being opened and you have to finish all this process before you can accelerate. The PDP under the immediate past President had all the documents but put them in his locker.

    “The PDP government then had all the opportunity to implement the UNEP Report but they didn’t do it. They talked about it for years and nothing happened”.

    Abe further stated that APC in Rivers State is not dead but has done better than the PDP in terms of infrastructure and human capacity development.

    “I believe that APC is the only party in this country at this time that can solve the problems of Nigeria, unite the country and move it forward”.

    On the state of the international airport at Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area, Abe said that because of the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to Rivers people, the government accepted to pay for a variation made by the contractor after the contract was been awarded by the PDP government.

    “Because of its commitment to the Rivers people, this government have not only paid up the variation but is committed to finishing the international airport this year”.

    On Governor Nyesom Wike’s position over the forth-coming visit to Rivers State by President Muhammadu Buhari , Senator Abe emphasized the need for the governor to be grateful for the President’s visit, stating that whenever the date is fixed for the visit everybody involved including the Governor will be duly informed.

    “Rivers State has been in the news for the wrong reasons of recent and I think the Governor should have been the happiest person to hear that the President is coming to the state to see those people who have lost their loved ones and empathize with them”.

    “It would be an opportunity for the Governor to find a way to work with the President to ensure that we have a better security but because of the undertone of the violence in Rivers State, I think that is why he finds the visit uncomfortable at this time”.

    Abe admonished Governor Wike to put the interest of Rivers State first and stop playing politics with the security of lives and property of the people as the level of violence, including gruesome killing of innocent people in the state is unacceptable.

    Recounting the genesis of the Rivers APC crises the former Secretary to State Government (SSG) said the Mini ster of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi formed his own group in the party making it difficult for APC members to meet together to discuss the affairs of the party.

    “Because some of us were advocating for some form of internal democracy within the party (APC) on the choice of candidates ahead of the 2019 elections, the Minister decided he was no longer going to carry everybody along but to form his own part of the party”.

    “This has made it very difficult for those with a contrary opinion to be able to meet in one place and discuss issues of the party. But, that does not mean the party is torn apart. We still have all our structures intact and means of communicating. We would continue to expand on those structures and enhance mutual communication within the party”.

    Abe maintained that in every political system, disagreements are inevitable and seen as instruments that strengthen democratic structures.

    “In any political system, disagreements are normal. In fact, every political system should expect some kind of issues because you have people with different needs, different ideas, different objectives coming together but the fundamental thing with Rivers APC is our agreement to take over Rivers State in 2019. We are united over it and have decided to solidly stand behind President Buhari and working together to ensure that he is returned as President. We have all agreed”.

    Abe noted that the party will continue to expand its structure as well as means of communication despite the internal disagreement in the party.

    “It is in the state that we have issues which are normal and unless we sit down on one table and allow the people to air their grievances, the crises will continue. After all, we do not have an alternative state secretariat, we have only one leader and that is the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotim i Amaechi”.

    “A situation where I have something that I don’t like or I have something I want to complain of or I see something that is wrong in the party and cannot articulate it in a place where other people can respond and reassure themselves that their interests were protected, the present crises will still cont inue”.

    For the reconciliation committee headed by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will work in Rivers because the problem in the State is not complicated. There are people who had their positions taken in a manner they consider outside the constitution of the party, there are people who feel threatened, there are people who feel excluded. It is just to create a platform where grievances can be discussed, reassurance given and the party will move forward.

    “The leader must acknowledge that we are all his supporters. We don’t have any problem with him. I say so clearly and conscientiously”.

    Senator Abe urged the leader to take advantage of the party structure which is intact and create a platform where people can discuss party issues without a predetermined answer to a question that has not been asked.

    Senator Abe whose recent thanksgiving in Port Harcourt, attracted over seventy percent of members of the National Assembly including the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki a nd four serving state governors in attendance said, he has no apology for inviting Governor Ezenwo Wike to the event.

    “I have no apology inviting the Governor. We need to understand what has happened over time in Rivers State. You have a state where people have been killed, beheaded and the polity had become totally overheated and I felt and still feel we should do as much as possible to bring down the political temperature and create an atmosphere where Rivers people can decide their fate. If we don’t do that the tension will escalate”.

    The Chairman on the committee for FERMA said there has been great improvement in the agency and attributed the success to the senate and the Managing Director Engineer Rafindadi whose dint of hard work has lifted the body to enviable levels in recent times.

    In his remarks on the sequence of election as reordered by the National Assembly, Abe said, “I support the president and I do so without reservations and without apologies to anyone. I think the President has done very well but there are things we can do better as a party”.

    “Our primary responsibility as leaders of APC is to come together, unite the party, solve whatever internal problems we may have, be it at the state or national levels. Face the elections and the repositioning of Nigeria which is what the President is committed to”.

    “There is a law that has been passed by the National Assembly. I don’t know if the President is going to sign that law or if he is going to veto it but if the President vetoes the law, I will not support any move to override the President’s veto because as a member of the APC, the President is part of the law making process. So, where he disagrees with something and he gives reasons for his disagreement, as members of our party, we should respect his views. If the President says it’s a law then, it becomes the law of the land and our opinion will become immaterial”.

    On his performance at the 8th Senate Abe attributed it to the dynamics of the National Assembly which according to him is different from the 7th Assembly.

    “My representation is stronger and we are working. I was out of the Senate for about two years. We had inconclusive elections and it took me almost two years to get back to the senate and by the time we came in as they say a lot of water has gone under the bridge. However, I promised my constituents that in this remaining year, we will try to do more than what we have done in the past years. We are working hard and will continue to work very hard”.

     

  • Let us be apostles of peace, Abe urges Khana people

    The Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Magnus Ngei Abe has called on the people of Khana Local Government Area in particular and Ogoni in general to be Apostles of Peace, and allow the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi carry out his campaign in Bori today.

    Abe, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Parry Saroh Benson, said his attention has been drawn to a raging controversy over the visit of the former governor to Ogoniland.

    The statement reads in part, “My attention has been drawn to the ongoing controversy over the visit of the Honourable Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi to Bori, Headquarters of Khana Local Government Area.

    “Today, the 10th of February is a day we have set aside as a day of Thanksgiving, forgiveness is an integral part of Thanksgiving. We should not allow our day to be marred by resentment and anger.”

    “Therefore, i urge you all to remain peaceful, law abiding and let every man’s conscience be his judge.”

    “Resist the temptation of being provoked but be poised, resolute and focused as forgiveness is a sign of our gratitude to God”.