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Amaechi, Abe rift deepens

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7 years ago

February 12, 2018

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Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi has warned his political ally Magnus Abe he wont’s support the senator’s bid for governorship in 2019.

Amaechi, who is also the leader of the APC in Rivers, said this while holding a meeting with the Ikwerre Chiefs and Elders’ Forum.

“I am not in any way stopping Abe from running for the governorship (position), but what I know is that I will not support him. Abe is daring me; an Ikwerre son. He is abusing me every day. I will ensure I use Ikwerre vote on him,” he said.

According to him, the Ikwerre ethnic group has 1.1 million votes out of the 2.5 million eligible voters in the state.

Amaechi maintained that the position of the governor in the state was rotational among the various ethnic groups, saying that it would amount to greed should Ikwerre hold on to power for more than 12 years.

The former governor said he would support a person from the riverine area to occupy the position of the governor for eight years before power would move to Ogoni.

“At the moment, we have not chosen a candidate. Only God will decide who will become the next governor,” Amaechi said.

The Chairman of IACEF, Sunny Dikeh, promised to support Amaechi, in spite of all betrayals, to ensure that the APC regained power in the state.

“We are aware sir that some Ikwerre sons and daughters have betrayed you after assisting them to attain heights that ordinarily they would not have attained. We are here to say sorry and also apologise on their behalf,” said Dikeh.

Meanwhile, Abe has said the people of the state reserve the right to determine who their leaders will be, stressing that the state must come first.

Abe spoke on Saturday during a victory thanksgiving/reception by the federal and state lawmakers elected on the platform of the APC in Rivers State.

The APC legislators include Abe, as well as the members representing Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo, Khana/Gokana and Emohua/Ikwerre federal constituencies in the House of Representatives, Barry Mpigi, Maurice Pronen and Chidi Wihioka, respectively.

Others are the members representing Eleme, Khana II and Tai constituencies in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Josiah Olu; Friday Nkeeh and Mathew Dike, respectively.