Magnus Abe Tells Amaechi To Quit As Atiku’s Running Mate, Backs Tinubu

Former Senator Magnus Abe has called on former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi to resign as the vice-presidential candidate to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, insisting that the 2027 presidency should remain in the South.

Abe made the call while delivering a goodwill message at a gathering of the Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State, where he declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

He argued that Amaechi was contradicting the position he previously advanced on power rotation between northern and southern Nigeria.

Abe recalled that when former President Goodluck Jonathan, from the South-South, was in office, Amaechi had argued that allowing him to remain in power would undermine the unwritten agreement that the presidency should rotate between the North and South.

He said it was contradictory for Amaechi, who had led opposition to Jonathan’s presidency on the grounds of power rotation, to now support a northern presidential candidate when, according to him, it was the South’s turn.

“Today, the same man who led us to go against our son and our brother is now trying to lead us to go and support somebody from the North when it is the turn of the South,” Abe said.

He urged Amaechi to honour his earlier position by withdrawing from the vice-presidential ticket.

“On behalf of all of us here gathered in Rivers State, we want to call on Amaechi to immediately respect his own position and resign as the vice-presidential candidate to Atiku Abubakar,” he said.

Abe also declared that the Rainbow Coalition would support Tinubu, describing the group’s position as unequivocal.

“We are not just with Tinubu. We are with Tinubu. We are for Tinubu. We are by Tinubu. We are in Tinubu. We are Tinubu here in this coalition,” he said.

He added that Rivers State would stand by the principle of power rotation between the North and South, insisting that Atiku should respect the arrangement that had previously enabled him to serve as vice-president and contest presidential elections.

Abe concluded by reaffirming his commitment to the Rainbow Coalition and its support for Tinubu’s re-election.