Press Statement
The attention of the Media Committee of Senator Magnus Abe campaign organization has been drawn to a press statement issued by the office of the PDP chairman, Rivers state chapter, Mr. Felix Obuah casting aspersion on one of the illustrious sons of Rivers State, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe.
The statement of the PDP chairman was in reaction to Senator Abe’s humble view on the judicial commission of Inquiry set up by the Rivers State Government to investigate the violence arising from the March 19 re-run election as well as his call for the release of the results of Tai Local Government Area.
The derogative comments on Distinguished Senator Abe was uncalled for as PDP has been inconsistent, double speaking and mischievous on the issues of the elections.
At a time, the state governor, Chief Nyesome Wike had accused President Mohammadu Buhari of using the military through the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon.Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to intimidate Rivers people and rig the election. At another time, he commended President Buhari for not interfering in the March 19 re-run elections. Furthermore, the governor and the PDP had also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of working with All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the election by printing fake result sheets, but in the statement, it exonerated INEC of any complicity in the elections in favour of APC as well as accepted the results emanating from the so-called fake result sheets.
The tactics of PDP is replicate of a man who cuts wood in the bush and comes out to ask who has been cutting the wood. It is also typical of a woman who strikes the husband and shouts, alleging that the husband has been striking her.
We stand by the statement credited to Senator Abe that Governor Wike has no moral justification to set up a judicial Commission of Inquiry as he was the mastermind and sponsor of the violence aimed at intimidating supporters of APC and Rivers people. He, therefore, cannot be a judge in his own case as the obvious outcome of the inquiry would be to indict APC leaders, which is not true.
A governor should have moral and constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property, which Gov. Wike treats with levity and politicizes with reckless abandon.
It is proper for Senator Abe to condemn his attitude and we, therefore, enjoin other eminent Rivers sons and daughters to also condemn the obnoxious behaviour of the governor, which is unbecoming of a state chief security officer.
On the call for the release of the results of the re-run election in Tai Local Government Area, we state that Senator Abe’s demand that the result should be released is apt. This is because the results have been collated and returned.
Therefore, INEC should announce the results and anybody disputing the outcome of the results can approach the court for justice. This is our law and that was what Senator Abe had said.
It is laughable that the PDP led government in the state was talking about the Judicial Commission of Inquiry making recommendations that would nip in the bud the circumstances that led to the violence in the March 19 polls, which claimed the life of a youth corps member.
Was it not the governor who was on live television programme reading the names and addresses of INEC adhoc staff and asking them to write their will that precipitated the violence? What other circumstance other than this will the Judicial Commission of Inquiry be looking for? That is why the views of eminent apolitical citizens of the state are that the commission of inquiry is uncalled for and the governor should retract his steps, if he intends to maintain law and order in the state.
We call on Rivers people to discountenance the ranting of Obuah and his cohorts who lack moral integrity and rectitude to criticize the person of Senator Abe, who has always adopted civilized approach to politics in his utterances and behaviour.
Signed:
PARRY SAROH BENSON
Spokesperson to Senator Magnus Abe
April 15, 2016
