By Ndubuisi Michaels
Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has described the party as the fastest growing political party in the state.
Abe, who stated this while addressing the SDP national leadership in Abuja, during his thank you visit, said the party has lived up to its mandate as a social democratic organisation to improve democratic practices in the country.
The governorship hopeful expressed his appreciation to the leadership of the party for giving him the opportunity of flying the party’s flag in Rivers State and promised not to disappoint them.
He said: “Sir, I am here today to thank the Social Democratic Party for the privilege and honour you have given me to fly your flag in Rivers State.
“I know that it could not have been an easy decision for you given that at any given point in time the party has several options of who to give their flag and honour without prejudice, but in your wisdom, you choose to give us that honour and that privilege.
“I want to assure you that we will not disappoint you. You have kept faith with us; we know the several shenanigans, the moves and all the intrigues that were concocted and created to try to stop us from being the flag bearer of this party. And we know the several efforts that you made, that all sorts of persons both real and imagined, tried to see that we do not get on the ballot.
“But, I believe that this party has lived up to its mandate as a social democratic organisation to improve democratic practices in our country. And to give voice to those who are voiceless, to bring hope to those who are hopeless, to give help to those who need help, to open the space for democratic competition in this nation and that is what you have done by affording Rivers people this opportunity.
“We want to assure you that we will not disappoint you. Parties, I have said severally, without the people are just buildings with a flag. It is the people that are the strength of the party. I want to assure you Sir, with what you have done today, you have opened the SDP to Rivers people.
“As we speak now, thousands of people across Rivers State are today members of the SDP. This is now the fastest growing political party in Rivers State, and it is the party that will win the elections in Rivers State. I want to assure you that we will win the elections in Rivers State.
“In fact, over the past three days, people have been calling me to say that they are members of the SDP. Today, one of our very senior brothers in Rivers State Atedo Peterside called me to say that he is a member of the SDP and to welcome me to the SDP family; I was very elated.
“Let me say clearly, my national chairman, that we are in this party to contribute, we are in this party to strengthen the party, we are in this party to bring victory to this party, we are in this party to give hope and succour to Nigerians who understand that except we do things differently we will continue to see the same things we have been seeing before.
“If we want to see what we have not seen before, we must do what we have not done before, that’s why today we are in the SDP, because we have not been here before so we are doing a new thing and Rivers people who have not voted SDP before are also prepared to do a new thing, they too are doing what they have not done before so we are going to do a new thing on the 29th of May, 2023.”
In his response, National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Shehu Gabam said, “today is one of the happiest day in the history of SDP; we believe in doing what is right and let me also tell you that we will give you all the necessary support needed to enable us win the gubernatorial election in Rivers State”.
Senator Abe was accompanied on the visit by the former candidate of the party in Rivers State who stepped down, Maurice Pronen, former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the State, Barrister Worgu Boms, Pastor Boma Pepple and Kennedy Friday.
