2019 RIVERS GUBER RACE TEARS AMAECHI, SENATOR ABE APART

All may not be well in the once rosy relationship between Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and his political ally, Senator, Magnus Abe. There are indications that the latter’s aspiration to govern River State in 2019 and beyond has failed to receive that blessing of Amaechi, now seen as the godfather of Rivers’ politics, particularly on the APC platform.

Also worrisome is the fact that leaders of the All Progressives Congress in the oil-rich state have thrown their weight behind Amaechi in their bid to deny Senator Abe the chance to take a shot at the guber race.

According to sources, Senator Abe’s ambition has strained the relationship between leaders of the APC in the state who are now sharply divided, and all efforts by some political bigwigs within the party to make Amaechi soft-pedal in order to prevent the party in the state from an imminent implosion have so far hit the rocks.

Senator Magnus Abe (l) and Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation.

A source disclosed that the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki has waded into the matter and has called on leaders of the party in the state to respect Senator Magnus Abe.

At a Thanksgiving reception organized by Senator Abe, Senator Saraki had maintained that it would have been impossible for Amaechi to have become a Minister without the support and influence of Senator Abe. The Senate President had in his speech described Abe as a humble lawmaker who enjoys the solid support of the Senate and his guber aspiration in particular.

“Senator Magnus Abe is a humble man and he exhibits that in his way of life. He is a loyal party man and I can tell you he played a huge role in the formation of the APC. I say this because we were in the 7th Senate together when the merger process started,” Senator Saraki said.

He continued, “If you look around, you will see Senators from all the six geo-political zones of this country and as the President of the Nigerian Senate I can tell you that this is the first time this is happening. Magnus Abe played a huge role during the selection of Ministers. You will not be in the Federal Cabinet without Abe. I know what he did.

He therefore condemned a rally said to have been put in place by Amaechi somewhere else as uncalled for.

“What is bad is. I thank God the Chairman of Party (Chief Davies Ibyiamu Ikanya) is here. You have a lot of work to do.”

The Senate President further reassured Abe of a massive support and encouraged him to pursue his aspiration without fear.

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