Rivers: Abe withdraws petition against victory of PDP from tribunal

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the just concluded elections in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Abe has withdrawn his petition at the Election Petition Tribunal against the victory of Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Senator Abe disclosed this when he was addressing party leaders at his campaign office in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

The former senator said his decision to withdraw the petition against PDP’s Fubara was in the interest of Rivers people.

He said “I know it has not been easy and at a time like this, to go with bare hands against dollars, naira and euros, to go with bare hands, against guns and knives. And all you have is your faith and conviction that this is the right thing to do.

“A lot of our people went through so much trauma, so much hell, but it is to the glory of God that we are alive today.”

He dismissed claims by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, that he was demarketing the state with his comments after the election, as well as seeking appointment under the administration of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.

Abe insisted that the activities of members of the PDP at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, after the election as well as the killings during and after elections are the kinds of actions that de-market the state.

“I was sent news stories of a story credited to the Rivers State Government to the effect that, I, Senator Abe, was going around demarketing Rivers State because I’m looking for an appointment.

“Part of the challenges that we are facing in this state is our inability to face reality. There are 36 states in this county and there are thousands of election petition matters all across the country. ahead of 2027 and we hope to get it right,” he said, adding that if the petition survives, it would alter the political calendar of Ogun State and bring disruption to the political system in the state.

“But it was only in Rivers State that lawyers stayed in a hotel, trying to put things together to take their case to court that they brought police to harass them, arrest them, intimidate them in the hotel in the state.

“Those kinds of actions de-market Rivers State. It’s not what I say that de-markets the state,” he said.

Senator Abe commended President Muhammadu Buhari for commissioning the Ogoni Power Project which he said is a manifestation of the President’s campaign promises.

He, however, appealed to the President to address the issue of fuel subsidy, noting that the postponement of the issue is not in the interest of the Nigerian people.

Shettima reveals issues to get priority under Tinubu

Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima has disclosed that gender-based issues will get priority under the administration of President-elect Bola Tinubu. Shettima spoke at the reading of “Stepping on Toes, My Odyssey at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)” by ex-Managing Director Hadiza Usman.

At the event held on Saturday in Abuja, the Borno Central described Hadiza as an iron lady for “showing courage to write such a book”.

Citing a popular saying among the people of Ghana, Shettima said: “If you educate a woman, you have educated a nation”.

“Rest assured that the incoming administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will be gender-friendly,” NAN quoted the lawmaker.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain recalled Tinubu was the first governor to appoint a female as deputy.

Shettima also reminded the public that Tinubu was the first to appoint a woman as a Chief Judge of a State.