Magnus Abe, senator representing
Rivers south-east, says Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation,
categorically asked him not to contest Rivers governorship election.
Abe said the “unacceptable”
episode played out in his house, in the presence of his wife.
The minister and senator have
been at loggerheads over the All Progressives Congress (APC) structure in
Rivers.
Amaechi is backing Tony Cole,
co-founder of Sahara Group, who is the APC’s recognised governorship candidate.
Speaking with The Interview
Magazine, Abe said his insistence to contest the Rivers governorship election
is the root of his disagreement with Amaechi.
“I have no grievances with the
transport minister because he did not support me in 2015. That is a very skewed
narrative. We have been friends, we have been together, long after 2015. We
have been together, running around together, doing everything together long
after 2015,” he said.
“My grievances with the transport
minister have nothing to do with him supporting me or not supporting me. I have
told him clearly that he is free to support who he wants to support. I told him
that personally. I’ve told him that publicly, and I have said so everywhere I
went.
“My disagreement with the
minister is that he said I should not run and I said I would run. I said since
you are the leader of the party, create an atmosphere where everybody can
participate as party members and contest.
“I would have been celebrated for
the number of votes that I got. And I was ready for that. But to say I will not
be allowed to contest; to come to my house, call me in front of my wife and
tell me not to try contesting… I said no, I will not accept that one. I will
contest. And I will contest.
“So, there are certain things,
you don’t skew the narrative to arrive at a pre-determined conclusion. I am a
democrat. I am very, very satisfied with the distance my God has taken me and
where he has placed me as far as this country is concerned.”
The senator said the politics of
hatred must be brought to an end.
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