30th July, 2022
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Former chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Magnus Abe has emerged the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers about 24 hours after he confirmed that he has defected to the party.
Abe emerged the governorship candidate in a substitution primary conducted by the SDP in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Saturday..
The substitution primary was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as stipulated by the Electoral Act 2022.
Kennedy Friday, one of Abe’s aides, said his principal who was the sole candidate in the primary received all the 30 votes available in the exercise.
“Abe’s emergence is a prayer answered for overwhelming majority of Rivers people who were yearning for a formidable alternative to the ruling party in Rivers State.
“There is already wild jubilation in Rivers State for this great news which has given Rivers people a viable alternative that will enable them express themselves in the democratic space,” Friday said.
Also, Princess Patricia Ogbonna, a retired permanent secretary was elected as the running mate to Senator Magnus Abe.
Alhaji Muhammed Ibrahim, chairman of SDP substitution electoral committee declared Magnus Abe as the winner while advising members of the party to go out and get their permanent voters card, PVC.
“Today, we have elected a credible candidate for the governorship election in Rivers state. Let me thank all of you for conducting yourselves peacefully and for electing a very popular candidate in the person of distinguished Senator Magnus Abe as the governorship candidate of the party for Rivers state.
“For those of you who are yet to register and collect your PVCs, please ensure that you do so before the expiration of the deadline as slated by INEC. I am very confident that with a quality candidate like Senator Magnus Abe, SDP will become the ruling party in Rivers state come 2023”.
“Abe is a model. SDP will now become a state party. With Abe as a governor in 2023, Rivers state will be free from despots. As you can see, the process was very transparent and free. Abe has a solid structure from the state to local government and even the ward levels. He is a man that is loved by the people”, a former Commissioner in Rivers Augustine Wokocha said while commending the delegates for electing Magnus Abe.
Also, the chairman of SDP in Rivers, Solsuema Osaro said he is confident ability of Abe to lead the party to victory in the state’s 2023 governorship election.