By: Felix Ikpotor
A political pressure group in Rivers State, the Rivers Voice of Freedom (RVF) says they are totally in support of the decision by Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the March 2023 general elections to withdraw his petition against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
Abe had last Sunday, while addressing stakeholders of the SDP at Freedom House in Port Harcourt, announced his decision to withdraw his petition at the Rivers State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
He said his decision to withdraw the petition was in the best interest of the state and his team.
However, Abe’s decision had not gone down well with a section of Rivers people who had hoped that he would pursue his case at the tribunal to a legal conclusion.
Supporting the decision by Abe, RVF in a statement issued by its President-General, Comrade Dominic Dumekpigi, State Chairman, Dr Broun Ikurayeke, State Secretary, Barr Valentine Ogbani and State Legal Adviser, Barr Stanley Orlu said Abe’s feeling of empathy, love and sense of patriotism for Rivers people and in the interest of peace made him swallow a bitter pill by withdrawing his case at the tribunal.
“Senator Magnus Abe’s feeling of empathy, love and sense of patriotism for Rivers people and in the interest of peace made him swallow a bitter pill by withdrawing his case at the tribunal. His reason inter-allia “the interest of our state has always been and will remain paramount to me… We cannot put our ego above every other considerations in our state… We must learn as politicians to be pragmatic and put the interest of Rivers state and Rivers people above every other interest…” Is a reason Rivers people must applaud”.
“We the members of the Rivers Voice of Freedom (RVF) wholeheartedly and unequivocally support every decision of the Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe and pledge to stand with him and by him because we believe his decision to withdraw is for the best interest of RVF, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Rivers people in general. We therefore, call on all members of RVF, our supporters and indeed Rivers people to rally round Senator Magnus Abe and give him all the necessary support and encouragement at this time of his political career. We believe and hope that with him, politics in Rivers state will be a better game to play. We also believe that Senator Magnus Abe will be the one to take us to the promise land and ventilate a gag and saturated state,” the group said.
