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Tag: Magnus Abe

  • Senate to probe Ogoni clean- up project

    Senate to probe Ogoni clean- up project

    The Senate on Tuesday mandated its committee on environment to investigate the implementation of the Ogoni clean-up exercise.

    The Federal Government launched the project in June last year with initial cost of $1 billion.

    Apart from investigating the Ogoni clean-up, the same committee was also asked to assess the progress of the Great Green Wall programme initiated to control desertification in the country.

    The resolutions followed a motion on “World Environment Day” sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central) and members of her committee.

    Tinubu expressed worry that despite the launch of the project, work has not commenced in the area.

    Senator Magnus Abe also told the Senate that there was nothing on ground to show that the Ogoni clean-up exercise designed to clean the area including farmland and rivers of oil spill is a government priority.

    He urged federal government to review the country environmental regeneration programmes.

  • Xenophobic attacks: Ekweremadu leads Senate delegation to S/Africa

    Xenophobic attacks: Ekweremadu leads Senate delegation to S/Africa

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu will be leading a delegation of the Senate leading six other senators to the South African parliament over the recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in that country.

    Other senators on the delegation include the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan; Senate Chief Whip, Olusola Adeyeye; Stella Oduah; Shehu Sani; Shaaba Lafiaji; and Magnus Abe.

    The senators are to officially table complaints to their South African counterparts and discuss ways of preventing such attacks in the future.

    A number of Nigerians living in South Africa were physically attacked and their businesses destroyed by some misguided South African youths who felt the Nigerians had taken up job opportunities meant for them.

    The Southern African country has a notorious history of frequent xenophobic attacks on citizens of other countries living and doing business in that country.

    Attempts by certain groups in Nigeria to launch reprisal attacks on South African business interests in major cities in Nigeria were prevented by the Nigerian authorities, which had opted for diplomatic approach in resolving the issue.

  • Senate inaugurates Abe, Sekibo, Ideozu

    The Senate on Thursday inaugurated Senators Magnus Abe (Rivers South East), George Thompson Sekibo (River East) and Osinakachukwu Ideozu as Senators of the Eight Senate.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, inaugurated the senators following their victory in the December 10 Rivers State parliamentary elections.

    After the inauguration, Senator Abe told journalists that without dutiful security agents, it would have been near impossible for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the election.

    He said some people with vested interest attempted to scuttle the election but for the determination of security agents to see the election through.

    Abe, who was part of the 7th Senate, noted that “coming back to the Senate is a dream come true. I know that if election is conducted in the Rivers South East any time I will emerge victorious.”

    Abe promised to continue promoting the interest of Nigeria above personal interest.

  • Rivers South: INEC declares APC’s Abe winner

    Rivers South: INEC declares APC’s Abe winner

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Senator Magnus Abe of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of Rivers South East senatorial district election.

    Returning officer, Professor Gideon Onuekwusi said Senator Abe polled 125938, to beat his closest opponent, Olaka Nwogu of the PDP who polled 25394 votes.

    Candidate of the Labour Party in the race, Kingsley Okechukwu scored 549. Okey Ude of NNPP scored 96, and Brown Elfreda of UDP scored 99.

  • Magnus Abe’s unstoppable victory

    For the people of Rivers South-East Senatorial District, nothing excites them more when it comes to adequate representation in the imminent Rivers rerun election slated for December 10 this year  than the candidature of one of their own, distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe.

    The re-appearance of this revered gentleman who was  one-time chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream in the forthcoming re-run election in Rivers State clearly suggests Abe’s unquenchable desire to serve the downtrodden by attracting more developments to their area.

    A cursory look at Abe’s mien tells deeply his readiness to position the average Rivers South- East man to an enviable status. Abe’s impeccable performances in his first term at the Senate brought about renewed hope to a once-depressed and marginalised people of the Rivers South-East senatorial district.

    An in-depth glance at Abe’s profile would make the reader to conclude that Abe is able to bring about the desired turnaround his kinsmen have yearned for to their respective communities in terms of adequate representation.

    When Abe is re-elected into the Senate, the people’s confidence will be boosted, shattered hopes will be emboldened, jobs will be created and voice will be given to the voiceless.

    Abe recorded huge successes for the masses of the senatorial district during his first stint at the Senate. In education, Abe procured forms for more than 1,200 candidates sitting for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) drawn from the seven local government areas that make up Rivers South- East Senatorial district and also assisted 900 final year students in the area through his annual School Fees Support Scheme.

    About 120 law graduates also benefited immensely from Abe’s annual Law School Support Initiative. Journalists in the Senatorial district were not left out of his magnanimity as scholarships were provided for nine journalists for Post-graduate, Higher and National Diplomas in Journalism.

    Abe also awarded scholarships worth N100, OOO each to 159 students from the Senatorial district to study in higher institutions in the country.

    On skills acquisition, Abe made remarkable impact in Bera, Kwawa, Andoni, Eleme, Boue, Biara and Gwarwa communities in which over 79 people benefitted. Women were also provided with sewing machines and motorcycles were presented to youths in other communities just to give life a meaning.

    Abe’s intervention in providing potable water to his people also received accolade from them. Here, rehabilitation of an industrial borehole with 27 KVA power generating sets covering five communities and provision of water borehole in Duburo community in Khana Local Government Area with power generating sets and sinking of borehole in Oyorokotor community in Andoni Local Government Area among others are some of the achievements recorded by Magnus Ngei Abe.

    On electricity supply, communities such as  Kaa, Gwara Luubara, Gure, Eweh, Pue, Duburo, Zaakpon, Sii, Kabangha and others now heave a sigh of relief as they enjoy electricity supply due to Abe’s generosity.

    Abe also reconstructed community town halls, constructed major culverts in Kono and constructed footbridge in K-Dere community. A state-of-the-art secretariat was also built for the National Union of Ogoni Students with computers and power generating sets provided. Abe’s generosity does not recognise boundaries as it cuts across the state.

    As a former Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Abe initiated some bills among which is the local refineries (licensing) bill .The bill was aimed at enhancing the construction of local refineries by private companies and individuals.

    As a lawmaker, Abe transcended from initiating bills geared at bettering the lots of the people to touching lives and putting smiles on the faces of his people.

    Abe’s romance with his people is cordial, his outspokenness gives him an added advantage over his opponent, and he is loved by all. A recent opinion poll in the senatorial district shows that Abe is generally accepted by his people and would win the forthcoming Rivers South-East re-run.

    Truth and honesty are Abe’s watch words. He has zero-tolerance to electoral violence and his gentility is admired by many. The hunt for Abe by the people of Rivers South-East in the re-run election in few weeks to come is a step in the right direction and one can confidently say, his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the party to beat.

    Those praying for the downfall of Magnus Ngei Abe should wake up to reality. Abe is the chosen and anointed one of the people of Rivers South-East Senatorial district and no force of darkness, intimidation and electoral malpractice can stop his victory.

    My clarion call to his people is that; Abe has done for them what others could not do. A vote for Abe by his people come December 10, is a vote for confidence. He has done it before and he will do it again. Abe is Able!

     

  • It’s in my best interest for Rivers rerun to hold –Magnus Abe

    It’s in my best interest for Rivers rerun to hold –Magnus Abe

    The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Rivers Southeast Senatorial District in the inconclusive legislative rerun, Senator Magnus Abe, has stated that it is in his best interest and that of the state for the election to hold as soon as possible.

    Abe, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) in the 7th National Assembly, in a statement released yesterday in Port Harcourt by his Spokesperson, Saroh Benson, accused Governor Nyesom Wike of allegedly preferring the rerun not to hold.

    Wike and the Rivers Chairman of the PDP, Chief Felix Obuah, had earlier accused APC members, especially the party’s candidates across the three senatorial districts of not being ready for the polls and afraid of losing, claiming the PDP candidates would win all the seats whenever the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) decided to hold the elections, fixed for this month.

    Abe, however, alleged that the Rivers governor had in the past used his position as the chief security officer of the state to postpone the rerun on security grounds, pointing out that Wike had now been employing similar antics to continually postpone the election, if only the action could stop him (Abe) from being re-elected to the Senate.

    He noted that what was remaining of the legislative year was barely two and a half years and that he was concerned about the loss of time in providing the people of his senatorial district and the entire state adequate representation in the National Assembly.

    Abe, an ex-Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), said: “The members of PDP do not care about Rivers interest, if only Abe is prevented from getting to the Senate.

    “The scheme will fail, because they are playing God. Abe is confident of victory anytime the election is held, judging from the support his people have given him so far.”

    The APC chieftain also stated that the Rivers governor feared a resounding victory by him, pointing out that it was the reason why Wike had taken the issue of rerun in his senatorial district personally, considering the number of times he had visited the area, coupled with threats issued to leaders of PDP in the senatorial district to deliver the area.

    He noted that in spite of the efforts of Wike and other members of PDP, his popularity in the district had been growing, thus necessitating the need to create entropy that would perpetually make the election impossible to hold.

    Abe urged INEC to ignore the alleged diabolical scheme, hold the elections as scheduled and ensure that they were free, fair and credible.

  • Ogoni crisis: Residents criticise Wike’s visit to Yeghe      

    Ogoni crisis: Residents criticise Wike’s visit to Yeghe      

    The residents of Rivers State Friday criticised Governor Nyesom Wike’s visit to Yeghe, and other communities in Ogoni without visiting the burnt senatorial office of Magnus Abe. They wanted the governor to show concern to all parties affected in the crisis as a leader.

    It would be recalled that Governor Wike on Thursday with the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Musa Kimo visited Yeghe community in Gokana Local Government Area, affected communities in Bori and Mortuaries without visiting the burnt Magnus Abe’s senatorial office.

    In a statement sent by Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media, the governor accused some politicians of deliberately instigating crisis in the state to create room for the evil declaration of state of emergency.

    Some of the residents who spoke to The Nation said the governor should have use his visit to make peace and calm down the youths of the area by visiting every parties involved especially those who were affected instead of accusing some politicians.

    Mr. Paul Onyedi, business man, said he was unhappy that the governor visited Ogoni as politician and not as the governor of Rivers.

    “What happen has happened the kind of statement credited to the governor of Rivers State would only worsen the situation in Ogoni. I was expecting him to visit the place and also try to visit the burnt senatorial office of Magnus Abe, not as Party man but as governor of Rivers State.”

    Chief Akwubi Mathew, a community leader said, “The only way out is to forget about politics for now, the killing that took place in Ogoni was between armed militants and the military, for now we don’t know who is responsible for the killing but let there be peace.”

    Mrs. Rita Ndabari, an Ogoni woman said the most important thing is that Governor Wike has accepted to look into the matter and to also compensate the affected families, but she regretted that the governor did not visit affected persons who are not members of his party.

    “Rivers State is one, Ogoni is one, there is no death that is especial, those who are not members of the PDP that are affected were not considered on the governor’s visit. If we really want peace in Ogoni land and Rivers State as whole, then we must see everybody as one.”

    But the National Coordinator of Ogoni Solidarity Forum, Celestine AkpoBari  said his group condemned the killing in Ogoni land, adding that the insecurity in the area was because some politicians  distributed arms to jobless youths during the 2015 election in the area.

    AkpoBari said: “We condemned the killing of innocent Ogoni people; we condemned the attack on Magnus Abe. The insecurity in Ogoni today was because of the arms distributed to youth during 2015 election by some politicians for the purpose of smuggling themselves into the corridor of power,” he alleged.

     

  • Magnus Abe’s senatorial office in Bori bombed

    Magnus Abe’s senatorial office in Bori bombed

    •Wike isn’t sincere to Ogoni people, says  candidate

    The senatorial office of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the Rivers Southeast Senatorial District’s March 19 rerun, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, was bombed last night.

    There was sketchy information as at the time of going to press.

    Abe, an Ogoni from Bera in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, before the incident accused Governor Nyesom Wike of being insincere to Ogoni people.

    He spoke at a rally  organised by Khana Connected Friends at the Police Field, Bori the headquarters of Khana Local Government Area. He  condemned Wike’s call on Ogoni people not to vote for him.

    He wondered why who would win Rivers Southeast senatorial district’s election was more important to the Rivers governor than who would win in his own Rivers East senatorial district.

    Abe said: “If Wike loves Ogoni people, he should start with the ones working with him. Why did he suspend Fred Kpakol (Rivers Commissioner for Finance), without hearing from him.”

    The former SSG also declared that Ogoni people would not be fooled.

    Senator Abe lauded the Khana Connected Friends for mobilising such a large crowd for his re-election bid, assuring that he would never disappoint the Ogoni as their true son.

    The Coordinator of Ogoni Solidarity Forum (OSF), Celestine Akpobari, stressed that he had not been a partisan person and that as a civil society activist, he would always support Ogoni interest and cause.

    Akpobari reminded the people that he had always advocated Ogoni governor, irrespective of the party, stating that he is currently supporting Senator Abe as he saw in him the interest of Ogoni, describing him as their best bet for the position and that any right-thinking Ogoni man should vote for the former SSG.

    The coordinator of OSF said: “We need Senator Abe more than he needs us today. He is one of the most popular politicians we have in Nigeria today. He is the only man that has enough credit in his political account that all Ogoni people can draw on.

    “Ogoni people will make the greatest mistake of their lives, if on the 19th of March; we do not turn out en masse to elect Senator Abe. He is the only person contesting for Senatorial election from Ogoni extraction.”

    Akpobari added that Olaka Nwogu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was no match to Abe in terms of choice.

    He said the name Olaka Nwogu is not an Ogoni name, adding that information he got from Eleme had it that Nwogu could not speak Eleme, but Igbo language.

     

    The African representative in the World Assembly of Youths, Marvin Yobana, an Ogoni, in his speech, stated that Senator Abe was a patriotic Ogoni man, whom he said had been using his personal money to provide water for many communities in Ogoni and the entire senatorial district and should be supported and encouraged.

    Yobana stressed that Ogoni people knew what they wanted and that Senator Abe was their choice and not Nwogu of PDP.

    The Coordinator of Khana Connected Friends, Mr. Thomas Bariere, in his remarks, stated that the group was a child of necessity to help pursue sincerely, the interest of Ogoni in the present political dispensation.

    Bariere stressed that the group had identified Senator Abe as having the interest of Ogoni and urged all Khana people and others in the Rivers Southeast senatorial district to support the ex-Rivers SSG, so that Ogoni people would have a strong voice in the Senate and national politics.

    The Rivers Southeast senatorial district comprises the four Ogoni LGAs of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme, as well as Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni and Oyigbo LGAs of the state.

     

  • PDP’s petition baseless, says Magnus Abe

    Senator Magnus Abe has described as baseless and a cheap attempt to mislead President Muhammadu Buhari and the public, a petition by the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in the state.

    Abe said the petition was calculated to ridicule the Army and paint it in bad light the office of the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS).

    In a counter-petition to President Buhari, the senator said the tribunal hearing his petition and other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates issued a subpoena directing the Chief of Army Staff (or any of his designated officers) and the director of the DSS (or any of his designated worker) to appear before the tribunal and give evidence on what they witnessed during the National Assembly election, as the agencies that provided security during the election.

    This, he said, was against the impression created by the PDP in a petition to President Buhari that the Army and the DSS had been politicised and was used in favour of the APC candidates in the election tribunal.

    Abe said it was mischievous and unreasonable for anybody, to “cast baseless aspersion on these gallant officers of the Army and the DSS”.

    The senator noted that it would have been foolhardy for the Chief of Army Staff and the director of the DSS to refuse to comply with the orders of the tribunal.

    He said such a refusal would have been a crime because it is punishable with criminal contempt against the culprit.

    Abe wondered why the PDP did not show in its petition that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Gesila Khan, was also subpoenaed.

    The senator said this showed an unholy alliance between the PDP and the REC.

    He said: “It is on record that despite numerous applications and solicitation to the REC for the release of election materials purportedly used by INEC, she has consistently refused to release the documents to us in order to frustrate and jeopardise our chances to prove our cases before the election tribunal.”

  • Abe: Peterside is man of integrity

    Abe: Peterside is man of integrity

    The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Rivers Southeast, Magnus Abe, has said the party’s Rivers State governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, is a man of impeccable character.

    Abe spoke at Council Primary School, Bera, at the beginning of APC’s State campaign in Gokana Local Government Area.

    The senator noted that “integrity is a way of life and Peterside lives integrity”.

    He urged the Ogoni and other Rivers residents to vote massively for him, adding that he is well known for his uprightness and sincerity.