Port Harcourt- The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Magnus Abe says he is withdrawing his petition against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) challenging the March 18 governorship election which produced Siminaliayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Governor-Elect.

Abe made this known while addressing party faithful at the SDP state head office in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Sunday.

He said his action was borne out of his love for the state and his interest in moving the state forward.

Abe said, “The interest of our state has always been and will remain paramount to me. We cannot at any stage of our politics put our own interest above the interest of those who have sacrificed so much to follow us.

“We cannot also put our ego above every other consideration in our State. We must learn as politicians to be pragmatic and put the interest of Rivers State and Rivers people above every other interests.

“Having taken a very clear review of the situation in the state and what is happening in the state, I have decided, in consultation with the party both at the national and at the state, that I, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, will withdraw my petition at the Election Petitions Tribunal in the interest of those who have suffered and sacrificed in support of our cause.

“More importantly, it is the interest of our state so that we begin to reduce the bickering and confusion that is in our state, in order to give all of us opportunity to be able to move forward with our lives.

“I take this decision very conscious of the pain, of the trauma and of the confusion it will bring to all of you.”

Abe also denied allegations by the state government that he was demarketing the state in anticipation of a Federal Government appointment.

He maintained that those who blocked a major road in Port Harcourt at INEC’s gate and arrested lawyers in their hotel rooms from getting materials that could help their case in the courts are those who are demarketing the state.