Rivers Decides: All Eyes On Magnus Abe As Political Permutations Changes Matters Arising
Yesterday a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt nullified all the primaries conducted by the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state therefore changing the whole political permutations in the State.
Recall that some aggrieved APC members who supported Senator Magnus Abe, the SDP’s candidate for governor, had petitioned the court to challenge the conduct of the primary election on the grounds that they had been excluded from the delegates’ primaries held in the State.
The race to the Brick House prior now was a three horse race between Senator Magnus Abe of the SDP, Pastor Tonye Cole of the APC, and Similanayi Fubara of the PDP, but with yesterday’s judgment, the race is now limited to the PDP candidate, Fubara, and the SDP candidate, Magnus Abe, making it more intriguing.
All Eyes On Magnus Abe:
The irony is that Magnus Abe, a former commissioner and past Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District, is one of Rivers State’s original three pillars of modern politics.
Magnus Abe was one of three gentlemen who took over the leadership from Peter Odili. He is highly intelligent, pragmatic, and resourceful.
At the time, the three musketeers were Rotimi Amaechi, Nyesom Wike, and Magnus Abe. They were a formidable team until political circumstances separated them.
Ordinarily, scientifically, and spiritually, Magnus Abe should ascend to the throne to complete the circle of the “musketeers,” and yesterday’s decision has narrowed it down to a battle between the SDP and the PDP.
Rotimi Amaechi has contributed to the state’s growth, and Nyesom Wike is about to finish his task of contributing his quota to Rivers State, so it is now, by default, Magnus Abe’s turn to lead. Magnus Abe is an experienced and reliable figure when it comes to performance in governance.
Unfortunately, the PDP candidate is a direct puppet of the Rivers State Governor, who is currently embroiled in a deep crisis with the PDP’s National Working Committee, putting him in a quandary.
His candidate, Fubara, is unable to campaign because he is afraid of the EFCC, which they claim is on his trails . He is said to be holed up in the Rivers State Government House due to his fear of the anti-graft agency.
Therefore, the choice facing the electorate is between a tried and trusted leader like Magnus Abe and a stooge who is only seen within the confines of the Rivers State Government House due to multiple scandals surrounding his personality.
The game has only just begun; will Magnus Abe break the shackles of Godfatherism dangling in Rivers State, will the Rivers electorate choose to stand aside on the basis of integrity and competence? Only time would tell.
As it seems all eyes are fixated on Sen Magnus Abe.
Firstword24 