The Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP says it is quite unfortunate and disappointing seeing the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Mr. Magnus Abe, demonstrating acts of frustration, desperation and gangsterism, describing his directive to members of the APC to kill and conduct themselves violently as irresponsible, unwarranted and condemnable.

According to Rivers PDP in a statement signed by Mr Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the PDP State Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah, Mr. Abe during a press briefing in his private residence in Port Harcourt, instigated members of the APC to kill, fight and cause trouble in Rivers State, an action that should not be ignored or taken for granted by Rivers people, the International Community and of course, the security agencies.

The PDP says although, Mr. Abe’s violent disposition has never been in doubt but considering the exulted office he seeks to be voted in and the Saint in recent times he claimed to be, Mr. Magnus Abe ought to have stopped engaging in and encouraging violence, even as such is abhorred in any civilised society.

The Party said it “feels extremely worried over the unrepentant attitude of Mr. Abe, whose desperation to represent those who do not want him to represent them has made him to adopt a do or die approach not only in his pattern of politics but in his entire life activities.

“Mr. Abe has continued to show that he is one politician, who wants to acquire political power by all means, without minding if blood is spilled.

“The directive from Mr. Magnus Ngei Abe to his APC members to take up arms clearly corroborates the position of the people that he (Abe) has been behind all atrocities in the area, and he and the APC should be held responsible for the breakdown of law and order in not only the area but the entire State.

“It would be recalled that Mr. Abe has been linked to virtually all inter and intra communal crises in parts of Ogoni and most political violence in the area. One of the most recent was the incident in Yeghe, Bori, Bo-ue and Zaapkon communities on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23, March, 2016, which led to the killing of over 15 innocent persons, including pregnant women, a Pastor and students.

“It is also on record that preceding the March 19th re-run elections, especially on the 18th, heavily armed APC thugs were brought in and camped in Tai LGA, at the home of one Hycienth Ndike and John Abie, who are chieftains of the APC, on an assignment to deliver the area to the party. These thugs, at about 2.30am, lodged deadly attack on the community, targeting PDP supporters, who were eventually chased out of the community to pave way for massive rigging of the re-run elections in the area. This incident also culminated into the shooting of a pregnant woman, Mrs. Baby Nzuugha, a mother of four children, in their attempt to hijack electoral materials to the home of Mr. Barry Mpigi, another APC chieftain and contestant in the election.

“While urging the people to resist being incited and used to cause mayhem in the State, and instead ask Mr. Abe to engage his family members in such deadly assignment, the PDP advises its members in the area to remain peaceful and law abiding in the face of provocation by Magnus Abe and the APC.”

The Party, however, said it welcomes Mr. Abe’s consideration of withdrawing from the race as contained in his statement, saying since it is obvious that popular opinion does not favour him as he is not the choice of the people the best option for him is to admit defeat honourably and throw in the towel accordingly if actually he is a man of honour.

But reiterates its call on the security agencies and the International Community to arrest and prosecute Mr. Magnus Abe accordingly.

•Photo shows Senator Abe.

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