Magnus Abe joins SDP, set to replace Maurice in 2023 Rivers governorship poll

Former Senator Magnus Abe has officially announced his membership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) barely days after exiting the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Chief Abe, a South South region chieftain of the APC and political ally of the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 General Elections, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had penultimate Wednesday, July 20,  resigned his membership of the party, citing the former Lagos governor’s ‘inability to convince him to remain in the party,’ as reason for his decision.

However, on that occasion, Abe did not reveal his next destination amid claims he was targeting either the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or the Labour Party (LP).

Senator Abe, convener and founder of the Tinubu support group in Rivers State, the Project SMA 2023,

resigned his membership of the party, as contained in a letter addressed to the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Tuesday.

Abe reportedly blamed Tinubu’s inability to convince him to remain in the party, as reason for his decision.

In the letter, titled; Membership Resignation,’ and copied to the Ward 16 Chairman of Gokana local government area and the Rivers State APC Chairman, Abe explained that his decision to quit ‘is not unconnected with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s seeming unwillingness to negotiate with me since he expects me to remain in the APC.’

“I wish to tender my resignation of membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“My decision to quit is not unconnected with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s seeming unwillingness to negotiate with me since he expects me to remain in the APC.

“Hence my resolve to seek alternative platform to actualize my Gubernatorial Ambition in Rivers State.

“I feel it is time to move on with my Ambition, having served this country as Lawmaker in the Rivers State House of Assembly, SSG of Rivers State, and Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Let me also use this moment to thank my teeming supporters, and some of those that defected from the APC, for standing by me in all these years, more importantly H.E Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“In the coming days, I shall tell Nigerians my next political decision,” the letter read.

Only this weekend, the former Rivers APC chieftain confirmed his membership of the SDP via his Facebook account.

“Yes I am and I have been a member of the Social Democratic Party SDP.

“I am still firmly dedicated to the principles that have guided my politics for so many years. And we’ll keep doing everything we can to advance internal democracy in our nation’s politics and put the needs of the populace first,” Abe wrote.

It is believed that his ambition to be on the ballot during the Rivers State governorship election in 2023 is now guaranteed by the SDP, after exiting the APC over allegations of being rigged out in rhe primary election of the party for Tonye Cole.

Abe may replace the SDP’s Pronen Maurice, who currently holds the ticket for the poll for SDP in Rivers governorship elections in 2023.

Abe is a one-time senator who represented the Rivers South East Senatorial District.