The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers state, Magnus Abe has said that he joined the govenorship race in the state to liberate Rivers people from the forces holding them back, including poverty.
Citing lack of inclusive governance and total neglect of the youths, the former senator said they were reasons behind his interest to join the run for the governorship position in 2023.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting of SDP party leaders in Port Harcourt, Abe said, “We didn’t come to SDP to look for party offices, we came to SDP to look for progress and prosperity of Rivers State, to build a party that can carry Rivers people to their desired destination and offer hope to a lot of Rivers men and women who are wallowing in poverty; who feel abandoned and neglected by the political class”.
The Governorship hopeful urged party leaders to accommodate new members who are willing to work in the interest of the party and build a more united front ahead of the 2023 elections.
“People are coming from PDP, APC, Accord, and from all other political parties; people who have not been in politics are also coming because Rivers State is moving. We must be ready to accommodate everyone, make space and expand, that’s how we will win.
“If we don’t work with that principle in mind, that understanding to be the fastest growing party; you can’t win. We must work to be the largest political family in the state.”
He also informed the party members that the party membership registration in the state will kick off soon and assured them that every member will be carried along in the exercise.
According to him,“We will start party membership registration soon, the National Secretariat will release the cards for the registration to us, we will start from the leaders and make sure that even though it is not enough that every Ward has some cards and subsequently, we will get more and make sure that everyone who wants to join the party has access to our membership card.
“I have always told you that a political party is but a building and a flag without people. So go out and get more people to support our party and all our Candidates and when we take over, everyone will be happy that they did well for the state and the party”.
“There is nothing like old members and new members, there is nothing like those who just came and those who were there. People who have not been in politics are also coming. So we cannot continue to say old members and new members, we are all members of the social democratic party.
“The only thing I will appeal to each and everyone of us, is that sometimes when you see somebody who is older than you; senior to you, better represented and all that, whether the person is older or new, you adjust yourself naturally to make space for the person That is respect; that’s how we grow, that’s the kind of tradition that we want to bring here.”
