BREAKING NEWS, Politics
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MAGNUS Abe, candidate of the All Progressives Congress and senator-elect for Rivers South-East senatorial district, in the December 10 election, has expressed his gratitude to the electorate in district, President Muhammadu Buhari, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, minister of Transport, his wife and his family, for making his election possible. Abe said the people had spoken with their votes and that their views should be respected.
The senator-elector, who made the statement in his acceptance speech after being declared winner of the poll, said it was now time to work together and make the district a better place for Nigerians to live.
He noted that it had been “a titanic struggle; it has been a very difficult two years for Rivers people and for all of us” while the senatorial election in the state had been put in abeyance because of threats of violence.
Nevertheless, Abe said: “My victory in this election is a reward for faithfulness. I have been faithful to my party, the All Progressives Congress, APC. I have been faithful to my people, the people of the Rivers South East Senatorial District and I have been faithful to my leaders and I think God in his infinite mercies has rewarded me with this unprecedented victory. There is no victor, no vanquish.
“I want to thank my friend and brother, Distinguished Senator Olaka Nwogu for his very kind and peaceful words, which he has expressed to the people of this state.”
Besides, Abe said: “I also want to use this opportunity to extend a hand of friendship to the executive Governor of Rivers State, Barrister Nyesom Wike and to say to him that he had promised that there was nothing personal in this contest and he has said that if I win he will congratulate me. The only barometer for measuring success in an election in this country is the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the commission has declared me the winner, I want to call on the governor to keep his words and send me his letter and words of congratulation because I have won.”
He also reminded everyone that Rivers State had suffered enough and that it was time for to stop the political struggle and join hands together to develop the state.
I want to thank my colleagues in the Senate for their kind words, friendship and support and I look forward to joining them in the red chamber as soon as possible.
According to the results announced by Onukwuisi Gideon, returning officer for Rivers South East senatorial district, Abe of the APC polled 125,938 votes; Kingsley Onyekwere Okechukwu of Labour Party scored 549 votes; Oke Ude of the NNPP got 96 votes; Olaka Nwogu of the PDP scored 25,394 while Efrida of the UDP scored 99 votes.
Gideon said 2,627 votes were rejected out of the 154, 703 total votes cast.
The PDP had won the 2015 legislative election but it was nullified by the election petitions tribunal and the Court of Appeal. The electoral commission was ordered to conduct in rerun in 60 days.
However, the INEC failed to conduct the election within the stipulated time, citing insecurity as its reason.
— Dec 12, 2016 @ 14:10 GMT
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