Senator Magnus Abe, who was the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) candidate in the 2023 gubernatorial election in Rivers State, has confirmed that Chief Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is the political leader of the state.
Abe, who represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly from 2011 to 2019, revealed this in Port Harcourt while addressing his supporters from the local government areas of Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor.
Abe, who recently left the SDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), called on the people of the state to support President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He stated, “We are aligning with Tinubu. Wike is at the helm, steering Tinubu’s initiatives in Rivers State.
Therefore, we are joining forces. Let’s unite with one purpose and excel in our efforts. We are achievers. Politics naturally involves conflict and competition. If you don’t see these, you aren’t truly involved in politics.”
Simultaneously, the Rivers State Ijaw community has clarified that the former governor does not harbor any animosity towards their ethnic group. The Rivers Ijaw Peoples’ Congress (RIPC) expressed immense gratitude to Wike for supporting Sir Siminalayi Fubara’s ascendancy to governor—a significant shift of power to the Ijaws in Rivers for the first time in 24 years, made possible by Wike’s sponsorship and support.
This was articulated in a communique read by Senator George Sekibo, who decried the false ethnic narratives being ascribed to the disputes between Governor Fubara and his benefactor Wike.
Key figures at the event included George Kelly Alabo, Boma Iyayi, Igbani Owaji, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, Prof. Henry Ogiri, Sampson Ngeribara, Major Jack, Amb. Dame Maurine Tamuno, Rufus Godwins, Ojukaiye Flag Amachree, Isobo Jack, and Pleasant Briggs, along with chairpersons of local government areas from Ijaw-dominated regions and several state lawmakers from Ijaw constituencies.
