A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Rivers State, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has berated Senator Magnus Abe for blaming his political woes on the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
The party chieftain, who spoke through a statement he signed and made available to DAILY POST on Monday, said Amaechi, who is also the leader of the APC in the South-South region of the country, had played no role in the pitiful political pass that the former senator who represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District had found himself, saying it was all self-inflicted.
Eze, who was spokesman of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), said Amaechi could not have been responsible for such a natural design, describing it as part of the necessary harvests that await the former senator, who “sowed nothing but tares in the last political season in pursuit of his selfish private vendetta.”
Recall that Senator Abe, through Ibrahim Omar and others, had enmeshed the APC in Rivers State into a protracted legal battle, which saw the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) excluding the party from the 2019 general elections, denying millions of Rivers electorate their constitutional choice of electing those who will represent them in the parliament and other positions in government.
Worried over Sentor Abe’s attitude towards the APC and Amaechi, Eze said Abe will end at nothing, but to destroy what remains of his reputation in the public domain.
Eze expressed dissatisfaction over the recent move by Abe to engage journalists and media houses in a legal war for publishing obvious facts, instead of squarely facing those perceived to be responsible for such comments alleged to be libellous.
Sentor Abe had recently announced that he has set a matter in motion at the court against The Nation and the Vanguard newspapers, alongside Dele Adeoluwa, Bisi Olaniyi, Davies Iheanachor, Wale Akinola who are editors and reporters of the mentioned media houses.
Eze described Abe’s move as an attempt to intimidate the media, reminding him that ‘truth’ is an exception to the offence of libel and that all the facts contained in the publications made about him were common knowledge.
He said, “the media cannot be intimidated by Abe’s floodgate of unmeritorious lawsuits with very shallow foundations.
Eze reminded Abe that “amongst Amaechi’s political disciples and Allies, Abe is the most favoured and beneficiary of the political sagacity and benevolence of Amaechi as he influenced his appointment as Commissioner of Information under the administration of Sir Peter Odili and appointed him the first Ogoni-born Secretary to the Rivers State Government.
“Thereafter, Amaechi took it upon himself to see the emergence of Abe as a two-term Senator representing the Rivers South-East Senatorial District to the detriment of more qualified and better candidates from the South-East Senatorial zone.
Eze said he wonders “what else Abe wants from Amaechi, if I may ask.
“Now that he has decided to play the role of the modern Judas Iscariot in the politics of Rivers State by sabotaging the political family that has taken him this far he should summon the courage to face the consequence of those who live in betrayal.
“Amaechi has moved on and have nothing to do with him so far the politics of Rivers State is concerned until he does the needful by apologising to the people of Rivers State for the inglorious role he played to put the party in its present state of quagmire.
He said Abe frustrated several reconciliatory efforts initiated by the South-South leader of the party, Rt. Hon. Amaechi, and other leaders of the party prior to the 2019 polls.
He, however, challenged Abe to withdraw all pending cases against the party instituted through Ibrahim Omar and others to strengthen his sincerity, adding that the door of the party remains open to genuine dialogue.
Eze dismissed Abe’s claim that Amaechi planned to expel some leaders of the party loyal to him, but maintained that a minor restructure was carried out solely to strengthen the party in preparation towards the 2019 elections, which was of great interest to the party.
“If there were plans to expel people, then Abe wouldn’t still be a party member till this moment. His plot to rewrite history cannot hold waters. It’s an effort in futility”, Eze said.
He counselled Abe to retrace his steps, make amends and utilize a more apologetic approach to appease aggrieved stakeholders within the party, especially Rivers electorate, whose chance of instituting democratic tenets and good governance in public service during the 2019 polls, was stalled and kept in limbo.
He tasked members of the party to remain peaceful as they go about their normal businesses, assuring that the party will emerge stronger and better.
