Magnus Abe, the 2023 governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, has declared his intention to switch allegiance to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today program on Monday, Abe, a political ally of President Bola Tinubu, announced his political move, stating, “Politically, I am heading back for the APC.”
Abe, who ran for governorship in the state on March 18 but lost to Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also missed out on becoming the minister representing Rivers. President Tinubu chose Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor, as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
During the program, the former lawmaker addressed the state’s recent crisis and the defection of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from the PDP to the APC, triggered by a rift between Fubara and his predecessor, Wike.
Abe called for peace, emphasizing that while an agreement had been reached for the lawmakers to temporarily remain in the APC, external forces were challenging the defection in court. He noted, “This is not over yet. What we need in the state is peace, and everybody has something they can do to contribute to give us peace in the state.”