Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Mr Magnus Abe, Social Democratic Party (SDP) Governorship Candidate has withdrawn electoral petition against Governor-Elect Siminalayi Fubara’s victory.
He addressed his party members that as politicians, we learn to be pragmatic and that he weighed the general interest of the people and state.
“I Magnus Ngei Abe, will be withdrawing my petition from the Election Tribunal first for the interest of those who worked tirelessly within and outside for the sake of the party, and secondly for overall interest of the State”.
He further explained that the decision to withdraw the petition is to reduce post-election bickeringsin the state.
Abe who is an ally of President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will no longer be challenging the result for the greater good of the state and for the interest of the team.
The sudden withdrawal of petition challenging Fubara the candidate of Governor Nyesom Wike and Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, has fuelled speculations from political observers that maybe there was a high level politicking influenced by the President-Elect to avoid distracting the Governor-Elect Fubara,and also part of the deal to get federal appointment.
Others also speculate the Abe and his key supporters who were in All Progressives Congress APC,but left to Social Democratic Party SDP to contest election maybe on back to APC.