Ogbonna Nwuke, the acting factional publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has said despite ongoing efforts by members of the party to chart a new cause for the party, and leave behind them, a past in which there were certainly no winners, Senator Magnus Abe from all indications is gradually transforming himself into a stumbling block.
Nwuke alleged that last week, Senator Abe chose when a hearing was about to commence in a competent Court to provide a legal opinion, which was viewed by well-meaning persons as an attempt, perhaps to influence the thinking of the law.
“We urged our brother, associate and friend to refrain from acts which may endanger the attempt by good men and women to build the peace and restore sanity within our party. On that occasion, we also urged him to return home and join in the effort to keep our party united.
“On Wednesday, 7th July 2020, our Distinguished Senator opened yet another flak. This time, he openly linked those he called the “Promoters of Violence” to the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. the Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
“The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has rebutted the claim that those who engaged in the protest in Abuja were known to him. He has said clearly that his followers are not violent people. He has refused to be involved in the battle which has been going on within the party. What does Abe want?
“Those who know the Minister are aware that he is a man of great integrity and honesty; a patriot and nationalist; who would do nothing to undermine the country that he is serving so well.
“If the Minister has cleared himself of any involvement in the matter and Abe still insists that his former boss, friend and ally is the mastermind, could it be that Abe set up the protesters so he could find dirt on Rotimi Amaechi?
“We fear that Abe’s mission to link the Hon Minister to what he has no foreknowledge of might be consistent with a flimsy plan to smear and blackmail an innocent man.
“Given what is playing out, it would appear that Abe’s initial call for reconciliation made in the public place was a complete hoax. It seems to us that his call for peace may have been a mere smokescreen put in place to hoodwink right-thinking members of the public, including members of the party, into believing that he truly wants peace within the ranks of the APC.
“We ask, what has happened to his commitment to the restoration of peace? Why is our Distinguished Senator looking for loopholes to shoot down the peace process that members of the party are committing themselves to? Why is the Senator pretending to be this angry just to execute his plan of de-stabilization?
“According to Senator Abe, “Nigerians must be prepared to put in the hard work and sacrifice that is required to build Nigeria and we must condemn the unacceptable with one voice.
“In the words of Boris Johnson, “No ifs, no buts”. We must show zero understanding and tolerance for the evil that is capable of destroying our country. What is wrong is wrong, what threatens our public peace should be punished’.
“We agree with the Senator that all who in any way endanger the peace, progress and stability of the nation should be punished, particularly where security agencies have proof of a visible plot to destabilise Nigeria, or any part thereof.
“We also agree that “Nigerians must be prepared to put in the hard work and sacrifice that is required to build Nigeria”.
This is exactly what the Minister of Transportation is doing at this time. Nigerians agree that Rt. the Hon. Rotimi Amaechi has shown qualities of exemplary performance in office and remained focused on his primary assignment as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has acknowledged publicly that the Minister of Transportation has surpassed his expectations. He has said his ministry is a man given to making sacrifices in the interest of all and capped it with the comment that posterity will not forget the contributions that the Minister is making at this time to advance the cause of the nation.
“Unfortunately, Senator Abe appears to be the only one who either does not agree or who is determined to drag the Minister into a needless controversy because he asked for something that he had reason to believe was within his reach and didn’t get it. As a political party, we do not want to have a bull in a China shop. Rather, what we want are egg heads who are committed to the welfare of Nigerians.
“We have stated earlier that we do not desire to have strong men. For the avoidance of doubt, we want to repeat our position that we want men and women who would join hands in building strong democratic institutions. Abe should retrace his steps. Such a move would be in his best interest.
“Senator Abe equally noted in his latest Press Release “These are trying times for our party, particularly in Rivers State, anyone with a contrary opinion is being labelled as an agent of the PDP, and yet every action of the APC leader including this sponsored threats of needless violence, and our refusal to punish those who openly defy the law are the actions that set our party against Rivers people and promote the interest of PDP”.
“We can only say as James Hardley Chase wrote that “the guilty are afraid”. Actions speak louder than voice. Some of Senator Abe’s most trusted allies have crossed over to the PDP.
“If Abe and his friends shared no relationship with the powers that be in the Rivers PDP, how did his allies at war get there? Why did Abe issue a statement a few days to an election urging his followers to withdraw support from a candidate that the APC backed in 2019 and vote for a candidate of their choice? Who was the candidate that Abe referred to?
“We put it to him that he was referring to the PDP candidate in that election. The Senator may have forgotten, but they are matters which are still evergreen in the minds of others.
“Our thinking is that Abe cannot probate and reprobate as it suits him. Our Elders say that when one points a finger at another, the remaining fingers point at the one who is pointing. The words of our elders are words of wisdom.
“In alluding to a claim in his latest outburst that the security agencies should be allowed to do their job, the Distinguished Senator was probably inferring that there may be someone who is preventing such officials from working.
“It is well known that security agencies take instruction from the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Could Abe be referring to the President as the one who may be obstructing the investigation that he seemingly wants?
“Our dear Senator should realise that words do have meanings, which when interpreted, could pick up additional meanings. Accordingly, we urge Senator Abe who is apparently driven by the bitterness of the worst kind to slow down.
“There is no reason why Abe should act like Mallam Abu in the book, “African Nights Entertainment ” who swore vengeance on account of Zainab’s marriage to Mallam Shehu because the poor lady was initially betrothed to him at a young age.
“Abe should know that there was no time in the APC that he was betrothed to the governorship ticket. His inability to ride the back of the Minister to the governorship of the Rivers State has turned a professed Christian to an unforgiving gentleman. Is it right for Abe to destroy Amaechi because, of all the favours that he ever sought in the past, Amaechi could not help him with his quest to be Governor of Rivers State?
“We believe that it is time for Senator Magnus Abe to search his conscience. Power comes from God and no one else. He should listen to radio stations in the State and hear what people who do not even belong to the APC are saying about his unending war against an innocent man who helped him with his climb to stardom.
“Amaechi helped Abe from the time he met him at the Rivers State House of Assembly until he got to the Senate against the will of mainstream Ogoni leaders. Can this be the best way to repay kindness? We leave members of the public to judge.
“We would not bother to dwell on the other issues that Abe raised. They are pointless. They are comments that are coming from a broken heart; comments which obviously are being seen in the public place as the reaction of someone who may be drowning.
“But we, however, wish to recall the invasion that took place not long ago at the former State Party Secretariat along Forces Avenue in Old GRA. Whose forces attacked that establishment? Who were they loyal to? Where they loyal to you or Rt. the Hon. Rotimi Amaechi? Abe should please tell the public the truth.
“All said we think that Senator Abe should calm down and return to the fold. The doors are still wide open. APC members, including those he leads all want peace to return to our great party. They are the ones who have been denied a stable and credible platform on which to build their aspirations as a result of Senator Abe’s insistence on “a pound of flesh”.
“As a Caretaker Committee, we shall continue to pursue the best interest of our party men and women who are tired of a revisionist tendency within our midst, which unfortunately is being championed by our brother and friend.
“Regardless of all that has transpired, we bear no grudge against Senator Abe. We do not believe that the Minister who he is to turn into a punching bag bears him any grudge. Politics is about negotiation and constructive engagement. It is not war. This why politics is the master art or science of who gets what, when and how.
“We hope a word would be sufficient for the wise. While we pray for God’s blessings upon the APC, we pray that Abe would make a u-turn in order not to lose his followers who like their other colleagues in the party are tired of unwarranted hostilities”.
