Abe withdraws petition from election tribunal

The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Magnus Abe, has withdrawn from the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal.

Abe said the decision is the best for every member of the party and the state at large.

Abe told party stakeholders, at a meeting in Port Harcourt, yesterday, that his decision was in the interest of peace, progress and unity of the state.

He said: “I have decided, in consultation with the party, both at the national and state levels, that I will withdraw my petition at the election petition tribunal.

“This decision is in the interests of those that have laboured and suffered so much. Particularly, those who have suffered and laboured in support of our course and in the interest of our state, so that we begin to reduce the bickering and confusion in the state to give all of us the opportunity to move forward with our lives.”

The former senator, who represented Rivers South East in the National Assembly, contested the March 18 governorship election in the state and came third, while the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Siminialayi Fubara, who won the poll, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Tonye Cole, who came second.

Abe noted that staying at the tribunal would continue to overlabour SDP supporters and the people of the state.

He added: “I want to say that the progress, prosperity, peace and unity of our state has always been and will remain paramount to me at all times.

“We cannot, at any stage of our politics, put our own interests above the interests of those who sacrificed so much to follow us.

“We cannot, at this stage of our politics, put what we consider our ego above any other consideration in our state. We must learn, as politicians, to be pragmatic and always hold the interests of Rivers State and its people above every other interests.”

He noted that the decision not to go on with the case was carefully considered after consulting widely with party stakeholders in the national and state.