The Senator representing Rivers South-East senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, says the people of the South-South geo-political zone should not be forced to support the second term bid of President Goodluck Jonathan, as such support should only be voluntary.
Abe, who spoke in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital also said there was no need to heat up the polity ahead of 2015 general elections since there is freedom of association and choice of who to support under the constitution. This came in a statement made available on Monday by Honour Sirawoo, the senator’s media chief.
He lashed at those saying no other person from the South-South zone should seek any other position in 2015, describing such as “undemocratic.” Abe disclosed that the ascendancy of the South-South zone to the presidency was the result of zoning and that the people of the region do not constitute majority in the country, hence the need not to abuse the benefits.
He criticized the attack on Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi, for not supporting the second term ambition of President Jonathan, adding that while the President has the constitutional right to seek for a second term in office, Amaechi also has the constitutional right to support whoever he pleases.
“Those who acknowledge that the President has a constitutional right to contest must also acknowledge the constitutional right of others to support whoever they want to support or refuse to support who they don’t want to support. The constitution is for everybody,” Sen. Abe declared.
“The best thing for us to do in this country, whether North, East, South, West or South-South, is to allow our politics to be driven by ideas. Those who feel strongly enough about something, regardless of where they come from, must be allowed to canvass their opinions and express their feelings.”
The Senator described Governor Amaechi as “a leading light in the country and as a performer under our democracy,” pointing out that his developmental strides will speak for him at the appropriate time.
He said, “Amaechi has already achieved a lot for Rivers people in different sectors. A leader with a focus and we will continue to support him under rain or sun. We must leave a legacy for the people of the state through the projects of this government.”
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