Rivers: Ex-SDP Guber Candidate, Abe, Supporters To Return To APC

Former governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has declared his intention to lead scores of his supporters back to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The former federal lawmaker left the APC in early 2023 after he failed to secure the party’s governorship ticket and joined the SDP, on whose platform he contested the 2023 governorship election in the state, where he garnered a little above 40,000 votes.

He initially approached the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, but later withdrew the petition, citing the general interest of the state as the main reason for his action.

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday after a meeting of SDP stakeholders, Abe said they were returning to the APC with open mind and would be ready to work with all.

He said: “Basically, I called my people here today to intimate them of ongoing issues and to inform them that we are returning to the All Progressives Congress (APC), to join other well-meaning Nigerians to support the government of President Tinubu and do our own best to make sure that Rivers people are able to be part of the development at the centre and to also carry the state along.

“I believe that the responsibility of engendering peace in the party is that of all of us who are members of the party, regardless of whatever positions we hold or we don’t hold. Tony Okocha has been a member of our team, which all of your are aware of and today, he is the Chairman of the party by the decision of the national. So be it.

“But, we are not in the APC because of any particular individual. We are in APC because we are founding member of this party and grassroot supporters for the President. We believe that it is proper that we be in the party to continue to give that full support to the President’s developmental agenda.

“Tony Okocha is part of our team and he has been party of APC from the founding till this day. Like I said, by now, everybody who was part of the APC in this state should have learnt a thing or thing as par how we can make this party work.

So, we are coming in open-minded and ready to work with everybody within the party. I believe that anybody who is sincerely interested in the progress of APC, WD should all be ready to work together for thx party.”