Senator Magnus Abe has revealed that widespread anti-party activities characterized the 2023 general elections across political parties in Rivers State.
Speaking during a civic reception hosted by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, for political stakeholders in Rivers State on Friday, in Port Harcourt, Abe stated that such actions were driven by the selfish interests of politicians, including himself.
Abe, who contested as the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Rivers State, admitted to refusing the then-presidential candidate of the SDP permission to campaign in the state due to his allegiance to President Bola Tinubu, who was the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the time.
He accused several key figures, including Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, former Governor Nyesom Wike, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the APC leadership in Rivers State, of engaging in anti-party activities during the elections.
He said, “Rivers State did anti-party. Your excellency with all due respect, I did anti-party. I did not allow the SDP candidate to come here to campaign.
“And when he came to my house, I told him that I was with Tinubu.
“Oga (Wike), you too, you did anti-party. You were very clear that you were with Tinubu. You did not support the PDP presidential candidate.
“The present governor also did anti-party, he was with you. He did not support the presidential candidate of the PDP.
“The PDP leaders that are with Fubara today did anti-party. They did not support the PDP governorship candidate who was Governor Fubara at that time. They supported the APC candidate.
“The APC leaders also did anti-party, they did not support the APC presidential candidate, they supported the PDP presidential candidate.
“So all of us did anti-party, and it was not because we loved Rivers State or we loved Governor Fubara or we loved anybody. It was because we were trying to advance our political interest. Today that has switched.”
Abe questioned why Wike’s anti-party actions have been disproportionately discussed, attributing the attention to the success of Wike’s efforts during the elections.
The former senator also recalled the events of 2015, where some politicians in Rivers State had gone to Imo State to obtain a court injunction to block the transition of power from former Governor Rotimi Amaechi to Nyesom Wike.
Abe said he had advised Amaechi against such actions, warning that they could tarnish his legacy in the state.
Addressing Governor Fubara, Abe cautioned that many politicians currently supporting him are only motivated by personal political interests.
