2023: Abe begs politicians to allow people’s votes count

Senator Magnus Abe, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, has appealed to politicians in the state, to allow the people of the state to choose who becomes their governor in 2023.

He said that the amended Electoral Act has eliminated middlemen from the electoral process in the country and now enabling candidates to talk to voters one on one.

Abe spoke in Port Harcourt, at an event to receive members of the Nigeria Ethnic Forum (NEF), a forum of all ethnic groups in Nigeria living in Rivers State, who declared support for his candidature.

He said: “Today, I went to Church to pray to God for Him to make this forthcoming election peaceful; no gunshot shall be heard in Rivers State. I told God that I will not buy knife neither will I buy pay-knife. I will not buy guns, I will not send anybody to go and beat up anybody. I will not tear anybody’s poster and I will not disturb anybody.

“Let us give room to Rivers people to choose whoever they want; let us give them room to appoint whoever they want. Whoever they choose, let all of us join hands with that person to build Rivers State, so that the state will grow.

“No one is bigger than the other person. What causes problems during election is when people think that they have right more than you. They believe that whoever they choose should be accepted by all. Let all of us realize that it is God that gives power.

“Under this democracy, the president has one vote, the governor has one vote, senator has one vote, driver has one vote, gardener has one vote, market woman has one vote.

“In as much as the senator wants people to respect his own vote, let the senator also respect the vote of the cameraman. Don’t spoil his vote, so that he can say his mind.”

He stated that the removal of middlemen in election by the new Electoral Act, led to the formation of the Project SMA 2023, in order to reach out to voters on one-on-one basis.

“I have said it, that in this election, there is no middleman. Now, if a law has been passed that every vote must count, it means there is no more middleman. The middleman will leave the road and the candidate will talk to the voter man-to-man.

“That was why we launched the Project SMA 2023 because we realized that any day they remove the middleman, politicians who cannot talk to people directly will start looking for another work.”

Highpoint of the event was the inauguration of former members of the Wike Continuity Movement (WCM) as members of Abe for Positive Change (MAPC).

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The pro-PDP group, Wike Continuity Movement, collapsed its structure to pitch tent with Senator Magnus Abe.

Speaking at the event, leader of the grassroots mobilization group for non-indigenes in Rivers State, Chief Uchenna Okokoba said, the forum has decided to drum support for the gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers state, Senator Magnus Abe in the 2023 general elections.

He insisted that God directed him and his group to join forces with Senator Abe testifying that they did the same thing for Governors Nyesom Wike and Professor Charles Soludo of Anambra State.

Speaking further, Secretary General of the Nigeria Ethnic Forum, Wole Agunbiade who read the communique of the NGF said the non-indigenes in the state have decided to massively support Abe as the next governor of the state and would work for the victory of the SDP governorship candidate.

In a related development, Senator Abe has assured the Akwa Ibom Community in Rivers State of better welfare if he wins the 2023 elections.

He stated this while addressing the Akwa Ibom Community at its monthly meeting held at the Ibom House Secretariat in Elelenwo, Port Harcourt on Sunday.

Abe went further to say that his intention to govern the state was borne out of the need to build a state where the interest of any individual would be the priority of the state government.

Earlier, President General of the Akwa Ibom Community in Rivers State, Pastor Bassey Ekpe-ma promised Senator Abe that they will consider his manifesto and wish him well in the 2023.