… As RVF tells minister to tender public apology
By: Felix Ikpotor
The immediate past representative of the Rivers South East at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe has accused Transportation Minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of sponsoring a multi-million naira smear campaign to blackmail him ahead of the now postponed national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Abe in a statement he personally signed stated this while reacting to a video and a press statement which went viral on social media few days ago alleging a clandestine plot by some members of his faction of the APC in Rivers State and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) working to scuttle the course of justice by interfering with some cases involving the APC in courts in the state.
The senator wrote: ” My attention has just been drawn to a poorly performed comedy script by two actors who claim to be members of the APC loyal to me”.
“In the script, they claimed to have attended a meeting in the home of the erudite Barrister Worgu Boms where they met with the Rivers State PDP Chairman, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, in a conspiracy to pervert the cause of justice, interfere with and influence a case before the High Court of Rivers State”.
“Nigerians are already aware of the politics of hatred and the multi-million naira smear campaign that has been sponsored against me by the Hon Minister of Transportation, the Rt the Hon Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi”.
“Obviously, the world has seen through his multi-million naira campaign of hatred and calumny in Rivers State and consigned it to the trash where it truly belongs”.
He added: “In their latest desperation, the Minister’s faction of the party has come up with a comic, infantile video to tell barefaced lies against my person”.
“The so-called press conference by these desperadoes is nothing but a reflection of the frustration of a leadership that has clearly run out of ideas”.
He noted that: “Ordinarily, it would suffice for comic entertainment if the issues raised and their consequences for our party and our state were not so grave. The allegations made by these gentlemen in the public glare constitute a conspiracy by Barrister Worgu Boms, Ambassador Desmond Akawor and the others named, to perverse the cause of justice, and if such a meeting was held all those involved ought to be prosecuted and punished, no matter how highly placed”.
While stating that he has directed his solicitors to submit a petition to the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State demanding an immediate investigation of the allegations, he urged Nigerians to demand the outcome of similar actions by Amaechi’s loyalists in the past, such as the invasion of the Port-Harcourt High Court complex, the bombing of the APC secretariat at Waterlines Junction, the threat to destroy all federal government facilities and oil installations in Rivers State and several attacks on APC members in Ogu Bolo, ONELGA, and Asari Toru Local Government Areas of Rivers State which occurred either with the active participation of the law enforcement agencies or were completely ignored by them even when the culprits were publicly identified.
The statement added:” Investigation into these allegations must not be allowed to be swept under the carpet. This time, let the truth be revealed and let the law take its course”.
“All these efforts and money spent to sow hate and division within the party, can’t we put them into a genuine effort to build a party that can compete in a proper election in Rivers State?
“Will destroying Senator Abe in Rivers politics help the APC gather more votes in the State? Abe queried.
the former Secretary to Rivers State Government appealed to genuine members of the APC in Rivers State to come together and take their destiny in their hands before it is too late.
He also appealed to the national leadership of the APC to join in demanding that the Nigerian police should investigate the allegations aggressively so that the state chairman of the PDP and all those involved in the alleged heinous act can be punished to. He insisted that if it is established that the plot was sponsored, orchestrated by desperate politicians within the APC in Rivers State, they should equally be held to account as the same amounts to Criminal Defamation.
“It should be clear to all by now, that people who can contrive and sponsor this serial show of shame have no place in a party of integrity. The time to act is now,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, a group loyal to Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, the Rivers Voice of Freedom (RVF) has called on the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to publicly apologise to Abe over the trending press statement.
RVF in a statement jointly signed by its President- General, Dominic Dumekpigi, State Chairman, Broun Ikurayeke and State Secretary, Caleb Orlu-Akwu respectively, said they won’t fold their arms and allow Amaechi to defame, malign and carry out smear campaigns against Senator Abe in whatever guise especially coming close to the APC National Convention.
“We unequivocally state here that there was never such a meeting between the Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, Former Attorney General, Hon. Barr. Worgu Boms and others with the State PDP Chairman, Amb. Desmond Akawor and there will not be such a meeting because we can vouch for the integrity and commitment to the party (APC) of Senator Magnus Ngei Abe and others on this divide”.
“We join the Distinguished Senator to call on the National body of APC, the state Commissioner of Police to carry out a thorough investigation of the purported press release by the hungry agents of the Minister of Transportation and let those found culpable be dealt with in accordance with the laws”.
“We call on the Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, knowing that this is his handiwork to in good conscience publicly apologize to the Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe and others entangled in this charade. We also call on Rivers people to discountenance this melodrama by a drowning political desperados to pull down the Distinguished Senator Magnus Abe. We urge all to support him and support the APC,” the statement said.
