Blessing Iruoma, Port Harcourt
A former federal lawmaker who represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Sen. Magnus Abe, has debunked the rumour that President Muhammadu Buhari has anointed a popular politician to succeed in 2023.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, who spoke at a party stakeholders meeting, in Port Harcourt, on Monday, dismissed the alleged appointment of a successor by President Buhari ahead of next year’s election.
Sen. Abe said, “They are going around telling people that President Buahri has appointed a successor, a member of APC.
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“I want to stand here and tell you people that I am not aware that the President has nominated anybody to be president. Nobody.
“Nobody and that is not what I think is the plan of this party. The plan of this party is that party members will have the opportunity to pick who will succeed the president as the flag bearer of our party, that the plan.”
He urged the newly-sworn in national executives of the Party to ensure they follow party guidelines to work for the interest of member.
The lawmaker advised the new party leaders to ensure fairness, equity and justice in other for the party to succeed in next year’s polls.
Sen. Abe continued, “Whoever that has gotten the job in any capacity in the party should please read the party constitution properly and follow the constitution of the party, don’t be an officer of any individual be an officer of the All Progressives Congress and work for the good of the party.”
The gathering was meant to brief stakeholders on the just concluded national party convention, and how Worgu Boms lost the National vice chairman, South-south position to Victor Giadom and the need for a renewed fate in the party and remain resolute in their supports for the faction.
He also urged his supporters at the meeting not to allow themselves to be deceived in the face of the lingering crisis.
He decried the attitude of both factions and the way they celebrate whenever they feel thay had won in any case, or election, like the just concluded national convention.
“Whenever there is any major event in this challenge that has faced the party in Rivers state, there is always over jubilation on one side and despondency on the other side, the reason simply being that it is not yet over.
“When I came back here and saw the level of jubilation and celebration over the fact that they said they defeated Worgu Boms at the convention.
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“The contest that segregated us in the state was not about zonal party chairmanship or party structures, but an internal party election which is actually supposed to bring us all together.
“We did not assemble here to capture the South South chairmanship seat, that is not the cause of the problem the party us having in the state.
“We called this meeting here today, because I have seen all the partying and celebrations that have been going on, this is just an internal party matter, it is over.
“For people to come back to mount huge celebration and acquire chieftaincy titles back here in the state, because of Victor Giadom’s victory when we had a consensus, did not make sense to me.
“I don’t think that that that solved the problem as far as the party is concerned.”he said.