26th July, 2022
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The name of Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, was conspicuously missing in the list of candidates who will contest Rivers State governorship election in 2023 as recently published by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The list published by INEC included names of flag bearers of 16 political parties and their running mates who will be on the ballot for the 2023 governorship election in Rivers.
The electoral body advised members of the public to scrutinise the particulars of the candidates and seek judicial remedy for any observed violation of the law.
However, against all expectations, Senator Magnus Abe failed to make the INEC list after severally boasting that he is going to be on the ballot.
Abe is yet to defect to officially defect to another party and neither is he known to have participated in Governorship primaries of any other political after dumping APC.
Speculations making the rounds is that he will be contesting under the banner of Social Democratic Party, SDP.
But the governorship candidate of SDP on the INEC list is one Maurice Pronen, his Ogoni kinsman.
Despite this, Abe who spoke on Africa Independent Television, AIT live programme recently said that he has very bright chances of winning the 2023 governorship election in Rivers State, considering the fact that he has never lost in any election in the state before.
He said: “What chances do I have in the state? Very bright chances. I always win elections. I don’t lose elections in Rivers State. The contest is always tense because the contest of power is always tense but somebody must win.
Senator Magnus Abe whose name is missing on Rivers INEC published list for Governorship Candidates, insists his name must be on the ballot.
“The important thing is that we should allow the people of Rivers State to decide. I am ready to abide by whatever the people of Rivers State will decide. I am ready to submit myself. I don’t even want to lead a people who don’t want me to lead them, because the kind of dreams and visions that I have for my state is such that I need the people to work with me for us to be able to achieve anything.
“So if they don’t choose me and I impose myself on them, I know that the plans we are making will not work because I need their support and I need them to work with me. I don’t want to be a leader who is going to where the people are not going. So I don’t even want to be the governor without the endorsement and strong support of Rivers people.
“So, I am presenting myself to them; I will tell them the plans we have. I will tell them what I think we can do with the state. I will tell them where I think we can be going to and if they are interested in coming with me, then we will go. If they are not interested, it’s not a problem.
However, former National Publicity Secretary, Pan Niger Delta Forum,PANDEF, Anabs Sara-Igbe, said what INEC published is still a tentative list saying new names are likely to come in
Ends