The crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued to deepen following a renewed war of words between Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and former Senator representing Rivers South-East district in the National Assembly, Magnus Abe.
The first shot was fired by Abe at the inauguration of a socio-political pressure group, the Rivers Voice of Freedom, on Sunday, when he accused Amaechi of trying to push him and his supporters out of the APC.
“I am one of the founders of the party and I am one of the leaders of the party in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Nobody can take that away; If you have contributed, you have contributed. All of us here have contributed. Without us, there would have been no APC in this state,” Abe said.
Also speaking on the party’s local government congress held in the state on Saturday, Abe said:
“You are aware of the current activities going on in the party. You are aware that we have been excluded by those powers that be within the state, led by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who deliberately took the decision to push us out of the party.
Push all of you out of the party for no other reason than because you associate with Senator Magnus Abe. I am happy that you continue to associate with me. I will also continue to associate with you.
Those who do not want to see me, when they hear the name Senator Abe; they cannot sleep, when they hear Senator Abe, they are worried, you have taken congress and you are still worried, let me assure you that even in your dream you will still see Abe.
“I am not going anywhere. This is Rivers state and we will play politics in Rivers state. If you don’t know the rules of the game, go and learn the rules of the game.”
In a swift reaction, Amaechi, in a brief statement issued by the the state APC spokesman, Ogbonna Nwuke, advised the former Senator to move on like Amaechi has done, pointing out that the party’s local government congress which held on Saturday was quite successful, but that Abe chose not to take part, but would rather go to court.
“We would like Senator Abe should just move on like Hon. Rotimi Amaechi has done. That is the mark of great men.
We don’t need his obsession with the Minister. He should stop his politics of bad-bellicking as it is doing him no good.”
