The Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Magnus Ngei Abe, has called on the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, “to swallow his pride and take responsibility for his actions that has plunged the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State into the present logjam.”

He said that rather than face the reality on the ground, the Minister is busy staging needless battles against everybody he suspects, including the INEC, National Chairman.

Abe in a statement on Friday described Amaechi’s comments against him as very insulting, childish and an attempt to deviate from the crux of the matter.

The Senator said neither the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nor the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, is responsible for the pitiable situation the party in the state has found itself.

His words: “It is unfortunate that the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, rather than acknowledge his actions which have dragged the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State to the edge, has continued to stage an unnecessary personal battle against everybody.

“He has simply refused to look in the mirror and acknowledge that it is his own actions as a leader that has dragged the party to where it is.

“It is not the INEC Chairman, not Nyesom Wike, it is not myself but the actions of the APC leader in Rivers, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, that has dragged the party to where it is.”

Addressing the issue of party supremacy in the modern world, Abe pointed out that it is about the supremacy of the constitution and rules of the party, not the supremacy of the leader. He wondered why Amaechi is going around calling names instead of looking inwards.

The Senator explained that when the party had its congresses, members of the party paid for forms, but the Minister decreed that they were no longer members of the party and should not be allowed to take part in the congresses.

His words: “He (Amaechi) gave that order. The aggrieved party members rushed to the courts; the people brought guns to the courts and violently tried to stop the courts from adjudicating in the matter. That attack on the courts is the foundation of his problem with the judiciary. It has nothing to do with me, Wike or the INEC Chairman.

“As a leader he could have made some compromises to resolve the matter; the choice to fight to finish was that of Rotimi Amaechi.

“Ameachi’s comment today on the radio was very childish. What he should be talking about by this time as a politician is the way forward. How do we come together to deliver the President, because everybody’s votes, including the aggrieved people’s, are necessary for President Buhari.”

Abe further said: “Secondly, I feel insulted when Amaechi says Nyesom Wike is using me. With all due respect to the Governor of Rivers State, he is not in any way my superior. He is my junior at the Bar and in politics.

“I have tried as much as possible for us to keep our dirty linen inside. Amaechi should not open his mouth again and say Wike is using me. He, Amaechi, could not use me as a Governor, against my principles and my beliefs; so how can Wike in a different party use me?

“The court of appeal should quickly deliver its judgment in our case.

“It is an important point of law that we are canvassing for the benefit of all Nigerians, not just of those who are party members.

“Amaechi talks about how he has contributed to 80 percent of Rivers politicians but he has never mentioned to Nigerians what 80 percent of Rivers politicians contributed to him to make him what he is today. If he made everybody, what did God do?

“Nigerians should ask who is working for Wike. It is the problem Amaechi foisted on APC that Wike is benefiting from, his political blunders have made him Wike’s greatest benefactor.

“When this crisis started we tried to draw his attention but he refused. We were telling him, if this crisis continues he will suffer the outcome. What did he do when everybody was telling him – including his close friends – that he will suffer ultimately because he is the leader of the party?

“Today he is telling people he did not want Wike to be governor because he is from Ikwerre. But after Wike became governor he still went ahead to nominate himself as Minister; why didn’t he stop himself since Wike is from Ikwerre?

“Rivers people are not fools. God is powerful and remains powerful.

“The only chance left to put APC on the ballot is for the court to accept the direct primary that was supervised by the state party executive.”

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