Former senator representing the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe has said that the “Obedient” movement of former Governor Peter Obi has shown that political power is more efficient than a political party.
He maintained that the move by Obi, who is the presidential candidate of the Labour Party is moulding for the upcoming election should be acknowledged as his own contribution to Nigeria’s democratic experience.
Abe, who spoke during an interaction with a selection of the clergymen at City of David International Church, Elelenwo, Port Harcourt, on Sunday, said with the new Electoral Act 2022, the power now resides with the electorate and not necessarily with any political party.
“I tell people that no matter what people say about Governor Peter Obi and others like him, they have, with their actions, shown Nigerians that political power is more than the political party, it is more than the building and the flag and symbol of the party. It is the people that are the power. And for that, if for nothing else, we must give them their due”.
The former senator called on Rivers people to synergize under his platform, project SMA 2023, to build and own the kind of government they want in Rivers State.
“In Rivers State here, I have come with a message to you people, that it is us the people of Rivers State that have the final say to decide the kind of government that we want, all we have to do is to agree among ourselves, that this is what we want, and if the most of us agree, that is what we will get”.
“That’s why I have looked at the situation, other people have gone to being their own partners, to come and rule us, and I said no, let me take my case to you, and ask you that let you and I form our own partnership, that partnership is what I have called project SMA 2023. If at the end of the day, we form our own partnership, and we outnumber them, when they count the votes, they count our own is more than their own, they will announce us because of you.
“Now if your own partner heads the government and the government is your own partner, all the things that the other people have been getting when they put their own partner into the government that’s is what you will now get”
“The state prospers when you prosper. Do you know that? No matter how rich the state may be, if you the citizens cannot make money, if you can not prosper, if you are not growing, if you are not upgrading is that a good country? Is that a good state? The state is good when you are making progress right?
“How does the government help you to make progress? This is what we are going to do. The first truth that we must all tell ourselves is that this whole thing the government is about money, the whole power of government is money, that’s how you pay the civil servants, that’s how you pay the security. How do we now do it so that the money is used to create an environment in which you the citizen can prosper? Is that not the challenge of government?” he queried.
