Boma Achenimie 
President Bola Tinubu has been urged to consider appointing the Rivers State Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Senator Magnus Abe as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The group under the auspices of the Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought made the appeal on Tuesday at a press conference held in Abuja.
Stating their reasons, the group cited the Ogoni people, who make up the second-largest ethnic group in Rivers as having not yet received a full ministerial position since General Gowon’s military rule.
Sunnie Chukwumele, the group’s convener, and Josiah Onoriode, its Secretary, said Senator Abe was solely responsible for creating the political infrastructure that supported President Tinubu’s presidential aspirations in the state.
Chukwumele noted, “We want to put it on record that Senator Abe single-handedly built the political structure for the promotion of President Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition in Rivers State. He was castigated and vilified by the majority of people in the state.
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“We believe that appointing Senator Abe, whose profile is intimidating, into President Tinubu’s cabinet will also be a succour to the President’s original believers and followers in Rivers State.”
In addition, the convener and secretary urged the president not to let the former governor of the state, who has been a regular visitor to the presidential villa since the president’s inauguration, suddenly change his interest in the internal affairs of the APC. The governor was the president’s main ally in the state.
They stated, “We have further observed with utter dismay the sudden switch of interest of the former Rivers State Governor in the internal affairs of the APC which he fought against for eight years with his regular face at the Presidential Villa since the assumption of office of President Tinubu.
“We are afraid these efforts were geared to unduly influence the President by presenting himself as his main ally in Rivers State. Mr President must be vigilant to watch the antecedence of such people milling around him today.”
Reminding the President that he has a reputation for rewarding loyalty at all costs, the group prayed that Senator Abe’s role as the President’s first and primary ally in River State would not be exchanged or undervalued for another.
