15 dead, party man kidnapped: Abe alleges foul play in Rivers elections

Senator Magnus Abe, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, has alleged that 15 people were reported dead across the state following the recently concluded gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections.

He made this claim during an interview with journalists on Arise Television on Thursday, March 23, 2023.

What happened in Rivers State?

Abe stated that a member of his party was kidnapped from the election grounds and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has remained silent on the issue. According to him, the outcome of the poll was not free and fair.

When asked about his opponent Siminialayi Fubara, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abe said, “The young man is not an issue as far as this whole thing is concerned.

"The issue of congratulating or not congratulating him was irrelevant. It was the same PDP mischief-makers that drafted a statement in my name saying that I congratulated Fubara and repeating the same things that the governor [Wike] is mounting that I was not a serious candidate."

Abe questions Wike's actions

He went on to question Wike's actions, stating, "If I was not a serious candidate, why is he after the SDP? Why is he after me? Why was I the focal point of his attacks, why did he not allow the security to provide security for Rivers people to vote?

"If you are so sure of yourself and sure of your popularity and sure of your acceptance, the best way to test it is in an election and we did not have one, so I would not want to go into all those things so why would I congratulate somebody that emanated from this kind of process."

Abe also expressed concern over the lack of response from the police regarding the reported deaths and kidnapping, stating, "As we speak, over 15 persons have reported death across Rivers State. The police have not said a word about that.

"One of the members of our party was kidnapped right from the election ground, the police said they did not have him, nobody is saying a word about it, and the governor would not say a word about it.

"How can we live in a country like that so the lives of people are irrelevant and everybody is going about and describing the election as free and fair."

It should be noted that Abe lost the gubernatorial election to Fubara.