The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party PDP, Rivers State chapter, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, has charged PDP leaders in the Gokana Local Government area to bring all those who left the party including Senator Magnus Abe back to the fold before 15 January 2023.
Ambassador Akawor gave the charge on Wednesday 21st December 2022 during a reception for Returnees from various political parties in Gokana, tagged Exodus 2022 held at the Council Headquarters, Kapor.
Ambassador Akawor who said that Senator Abe has struggled hard in pursuit of his ambition observed that his ambition could not be achieved through a show of power
He insisted that Senator Abe needs to come back to the PDP to work with his friend Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and other Gokana leaders so that the dividends of democracy could fully get to the people of the area.
He also mentioned two other persons in Gokana whom he referred to as his friends, Anthony Drogba and Paul Gberegbe, asking them to come back to the party, saying that if they don’t come back before 15 January he would personally visit their houses and report them to their wives.
“Please ensure that our brother, my friend, Magnus Abe is received before 15 January back to our fold. I am serious with what I am saying because I know that he has struggled. He is a young man, he speaks good English, he has struggled but one man in my place said no be money dem de take do am. No, be garage dem de take do am. He has struggled but he needs to come back to work with his friend Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and with other Gokana leaders so that whatever is due Gokana will fully go to the Gokana people. Send a message to him that I have told you to receive him back to PDP and issue him a membership card. And there are 2 other of my friends I will not like to leave Gokana without mentioning, Anthony Drogba and Paul Gberegbe. If by the 15th I don’t hear from you, I will go to their houses and I will speak to their wives and I know what to tell their wives”, Akawor threatened.
The State PDP Chairman disclosed that the Government of Rivers State has now favored Rivers southeast Senatorial District and that the people could not afford to gamble with such an opportunity, insisting that now is the time to tell the people the truth and bring everybody on board.
He opined that with the massive crowd at the event, no other person was remaining elsewhere.
The PDP Chairman accused some politicians in the area of abandoning their people for personal interest, saying that the time for such betrayal is over.
“Look at the people of Gokana who are in the PDP. Who else is in the other group? Why should somebody be wasting away in the other group just because of what you want to collect in the night to the detriment of our people? It is not fair. I think that time is over”, Akawor maintained.
Desmond Akawor stated that he is not sure that Magnus Abe has officially resigned from the APC and the PDP and added that the Chairman of the SDP told him that Magnus Abe is alien to the party.
He maintained that it is not the best to jump from one party to the other stressing that it is the reason the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and former Minister, Godswill Akpabio is not eligible to contest the 2023 elections.
“Those who do not know should go and ask Senate President why his name is not on the ballot paper. Go and find out from Akpabio why his name is not on the ballot paper. It is the same case with Magnus Abe. Let us tell ourselves the truth”, he stressed.
He commended the Chairman of Gokana Local Government for working hard to restore peace and security in the area and thanked those who have taken the bold step to leave the other collapsing political parties and return to the PDP, saying that they left following humongous deceit by elements of darkness.
“We were all in the PDP before somebody deceived you and told you that he will make one dollar to be one naira before somebody told you he will build a railway line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri. But all these things they have not done. So the only option you have is to return to your party”, Akawor affirmed.
In their solidarity speeches, Stakeholders including, Chief Kenneth Kobani, former Commerce Trade and Investment Minister, Dr. Fred Kpakol, Commissioner for Agriculture, Confidence Dekoo, Chairman of Gokana Local Government, PDP Chairman, Hon Monday Dum ie, among others assured the PDP Chairman that Gokana was no go area for other political parties.
They contended that the event marked the final burial of the APC in the Gokana local government area.
The Coordinator of the Returnees, Hon Kenneth Kpeden said he would mop up more people who were still hiding in the nooks and crannies of the area for the PDP and called for all hands to be on deck.
Speaking on behalf of the Returnees, Dr. Adumene Kuru, Hon Carlos Kaku, former APC CTC Chairman, Gokana Lga, Mrs. Ledisi Kayan Nomkia, APC Woman leader in Ward 6, K-Dere, said they had been in darkness for so long and have decided to come out of darkness into the light which is in PDP.
Over 5,000 people from various political parties in Gokana returned to the PDP at the event which witnessed the presentation of the umbrella, the symbol of the PDP to the Returnees, and cultural dances.