From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Former representative of Rivers South-East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe, has said that Rivers people will decide who will govern them in 2023 as their fate does not lie in the hands of any individual.
Abe made the declaration in Port Harcourt while addressing some party faithful and returnees of the All Progressives Congress (APC), from different political parties in the Rivers West Senatorial District of the State.
He commended their decision to reunite with other members of the party in order to build purposefully, describing them as men of honour and integrity who have placed the interest of the state and interest of the party above parochial sentiments.
The senator maintained that, for the State to actualize the dreams and aspirations of its founding fathers, the people need to come together regardless of whatever might have transpired in the past and focus on the future, as the project is about the future of Rivers State.
Abe said: “Let me thank each and every one of you for the decision you have taken; our brothers and friends from Rivers West who left the course and have decided to comeback for us to join hands together, to get this boat to the shore.
“I also want to assure you that what you have done is what is expected of men of honour and integrity to put the interest of the state and interest of the party above every other interest.
“I want you to know that to take Rivers State to where it needs to be, all of us must come together regardless of what we have done before, regardless of what we have said, regardless of what we have felt before.
“This project is about the future of Rivers State not about the past. Whatever is past let it remain in the past. For what is in front of us is more important than what is behind us.
“Once again, I am very, very happy to welcome you all back in to the party and to say, that I will like to invite all men and women of goodwill across Rivers State, those who have the courage, those who have the knowledge, those who have intuition to be able to see what has not happened that can happen.
“Those who have the capacity, those who have the quality to be able to understand what people say, that the time is now.”
He went further to say, that it is important for people to realize that the APC in the State is made up of people, who have brains and could think for themselves.
The Senator said: “It is important for people to realize that the APC in the State is made up of people, who have brains and could think for themselves. And so, we must learn to do things differently.
“That is why the purpose of consultation is important, so that we will not make mistake. All of you that have been the strength of this party, that have been the strength of the Rivers West Senatorial District, all of you that have come to say that you are coming back to join us to work together, you are also part of the consultation and we will listen to you “.
Earlier, leader of Rivers West Senatorial District Plus One, Lucky Ottos, said they took the decision to reunite with party members for the interest of a better Rivers.
Ottos said: “We cannot handover Rivers State to people who are not qualified to govern and that’s why we sat down and decided that we will work with you; Senator Magnus Ngei Abe.”
Highlight of the event was a presentation of request to Senator Abe by the group, urging him to throw his cap into the ring and run for governor of the State in 2023.