It is rightly considered of great benefits to every segment of the audience that the real understanding and meanings of what politics is, and who is a politician should not just be recalled but also rehearsed. The main reason been that for so long a time, and virtually in most circumstance, the meanings always affixed to those two words had often been so twisted out of real meanings and context, most times perhaps due to some innate considerations that their meanings must connote selfish pursuits and accomplishments that should not promote the welfare and wellbeing of any given society.
Therefore, politics is a collectivity of activities involved in getting and using power in public life, and being able to influence decisions that affect a country or a society, while a politician in very ordinary circumstance or meaning is a person whose job is concerned with politics, especially in strict reference to distinguished Senator Magnus Abe, as an elected member of parliament of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Having set what constitutes a most veritable foundation for this discuss, what may necessarily arise is the big question as to who do Rivers people say Senator Magnus Ngei Abe is, or what kind of political readings have they been getting about this young Bera-Ogoni born politician, particularly right from when he launched into the always vibrant Rivers political waters. No doubt, opinions vary, but whatever may have been the political variables over the years, particularly from 1999 or the circumstances or even the vagaries of various political activities in Rivers State, and going by close watching of Rivers political events especially from the prism of a conscientious newsman of over thirty-eight years in Nigeria’s mega print media organizations, the Rivers public hold out Magnus Abe as an undisputed apostle of politics of a bright and progressive future for the state. Better take it that even within the political rank and file of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, the consensus has over the years been that Senator Abe has so quietly and conscientiously successfully, introduced the politics of the future which clearly engages with new ideas, and this, they so seriously contend should be the right way to go in the governorship race in the state for 2019. Infact, in a recent friendly chat, a top flight elite of the ruling party PDP in the state had referred to Senator Abe as, “a rare Rivers politician who at every opportunity that offers itself preaches and promotes the politics of the future with creatively new ideas as the pillars”. My searches of recent months have revealed the quiet emergence of a group within the ruling party in the state so subterraneosuly rooting for Senator Abe’s success at not only the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primaries, but also desires that he trounces Governor Wike at the main governorship race, this is authoritative.
It is therefore, important at this stage to clear the air, and for the utmost benefit of our dear readers to note that this piece is not anchored on any academic or intellectual permutations that find comfort in very spacious newspaper pages and on clearly riotous social media platforms, but on raw professionally tailored analysis that easily can find comfort even amongst the most ordinary of our society who are equally in tune with the most localized political events in the ever vibrant rural settings of Rivers State. Therefore, this is the period when purveyors of various socio-political ideas and analysis should strive to make the most meanings as they should enthrone the essence and lessons of less burdensome techniques of effective connection with even those not so lettered in the rural communities on real political events around them. Could it be that the distinguished Senator has over the years, especially from 1999 been responding to the dictates or the instincts of his gene having come from a political family in the farming Bera community in the present Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State?
Besides that his late father, Rev. Canon Adolphus Leekagha Abe was one of the few cerebral and outstanding priests of the Anglican Communion in the Ogoni area, the same Reverend Abe was elected member of the Rivers State House of Assembly on the platform of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) during the second republic when he represented the then Kibangha State Constituency in the old Gokana Local Government Council. It could therefore be said that instead of Senetor Abe having his whole attention totally devoted to his professional practice as an advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, he yielded to what rightly could be referred to as the natural pressures from his gene- that is his resolve to latch on to his late father’s political legacy by actively participating in the 1998 politicking that produced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Peoples Party (APP). In 1999 he contested and won election into the Rivers State House of Assembly to represent Gokana State Constituency on the platform of the All Peoples Party (APP) then, which later transformed into All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP).
Recall that his political profile somewhat witnessed what in many political circles was regarded as a tremendous leap following his choice by his party as its leader (Minority Leader) in the state legislature, and that however, did not come as a surprise going by Abe’s tremendous political stature not only within the House, but the entire landscape of the Nigerian polity.
According to close watchers of the then ANPP politics, this quantum rise in his profile was clearly driven by his pedigree. Note that Senator Abe traversed both the Rivers legislature and executive branches in this his unique political journey, and this unarguably puts him millions of miles ahead of whoever a section of the APC in Rivers State may want to bank on in the clearly challenging 2019 gubernatorial race.
Abe was Commissioner of Information in Dr. Peter Odili’s cabinet. Though not a professionally trained media person, he so meritoriously galvanized the state media industry and its practitioners so proficiently that he almost incurred the envy of his colleagues. Recall the “jaga-jaga wahala” that was the lot of the private media industry at the time, and how he so masterfully weathered through the turbulence to achieve calmness. The acumen he deployed in managing Odili’s media agenda was so legendry that it contributed hugely to the acclaimed performances of that administration, which in turn earned it numerous historic recognitions both locally and internationally. No apologies as this writer insists that Abe’s tenure in the state Information Ministry can very rightly be linked to that of quintessential late Dr. Chinyere Wokidu who was also a non-trained media person, but at the time of her appointment by then Col. Anthony Ukpo was the Principal of Holy Rosary Girls Secondary School. Wokidu’s outstanding tenure severally drew the admiration of various international organizations that partnered the state on various events.
Remember his era as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) during former Governor Amaechi’s first term in office. His Manifest Competence in coordinating the implementation of state policies by the various ministries, departments and agencies contributed so immensely in the stabilization of an administration that was struggling to emerge from a tortuous political journey of 2006 and part of 2007.
Culled from Nation online
