SDP Guber Candidate Promises New Society in Rivers
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Abe, yesterday said if elected governor in 2023, his administration will build a new society in the state.
Abe stated this at the inauguration of the SDP Non-Indigenes Executives in Port Harcourt, adding that the new society will be based on justice, fairness, equal opportunity progress and prosperity for all.
He said: “Utility is your right to participation and citizenship. So, for those of you who have invested so much in Rivers State, you have built your homes here, you have brought up your children here, in fact, some of the young ones that are growing up, they don’t know anywhere else apart from here.
“So please, be rest assured as soon as you have taken this decision and you have implemented it next year, all these things will change.
“We will build a new society, based on justice, fairness, equal opportunity progress and prosperity. I don’t regard creating markets for Rivers people as doing a favour to any particular community.
“If we have an international market in Rivers State, that is not a favour to the Igbo people, that is the economic advancement of Rivers State, because the market will generate revenues for Rivers State.
“It will create employment opportunities for Rivers people. People, who go to buy in the market, will sleep in the hotel, they will use the taxi, they will pay taxes, they will pay revenue and they will contribute value
here.
“So, building market for our citizens is not a favour to any ethnic group. It is what a responsible government ought to do to give the people the opportunity to earn money, and when people don’t earn money they cannot be good citizens.”
The SDP governorship candidate said he does not regard the word ‘non-indigene’ because of his belief that once you have lived in a place for a long time and contributing to its economic group, you will no longer be regarded as an outsider.
Abe said: “Initially I had asked: ‘what is non-indigene? A Rivers man is a Rivers man; a Rivers woman is a Rivers woman. If you live here, you vote here, you train your children here, you built your house here, you have home here, you are contributing here, then you are a Rivers man and woman.
“Today we are celebrating the fact that a Nigerian has been appointed Secretary of Trade of the United Kingdom. But here in Rivers State, even if you have stayed for 50 years, you are paying your taxes, you are employing people, and you are contributing to the state, they still say you’re a non-indigene. I don’t recognise that fact.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman, Non-Indigenes Forum, Rivers State, Chief Joseph Ijede, said: “Today, we the non-indigenes have gathered to declare with one consent for a man who is his brother’s keeper. He is a man who will not fail us like others. We the non-indigenes resident in Rivers State have equivocally affirmed our support to Senator Magnus Abe as the governor of Rivers State in 2023. He is the best man for the job.”
