27/05/2026
PRESS RELEASE
WHY OGONI WILL VOTE TINUBU - ABE
Chairman of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Magnus Abe, has enumerated reasons why the people of Ogoni in Rivers state will vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 General Election.
Speaking on Saturday shortly after casting his vote alongside thousands of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State while participating in the party’s presidential primary election, Abe said, “We are gathered here today at Ward 16, Bera, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, to cast our votes as members of the All Progressives Congress in the presidential primary election of our party.
“As you can see, the people of this ward and indeed Rivers State and Nigeria are overwhelmingly voting for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, not only as the candidate of our party, but as the President of Nigeria.”
Abe attributed the support for Tinubu to ongoing infrastructural development and economic interventions recorded under the current administration, in Ogoniland and other parts of Rivers state.
He emphasised that projects such as the East-West Road and the Bodo-Bonny Road have significantly improved transportation and economic activities within the region.
Abe also commended the progress made by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), noting that the Ogoni cleanup programme had gained momentum under the Tinubu administration.
He stated, “If you look at Ogoni today, the East-West Road, which brought so much hardship to our people for years, is now almost at completion stage. What used to take nearly three hours from here to Port Harcourt can now be done in about 15 to 20 minutes.
“Today we can use the Bodo-Bonny road to access Bonny for both economic and social benefits. The HYPREP that has delivered so much to the Ogoni people , the cleanup that has been promised severally, Tinubu has delivered that to us”.
Abe expressed confidence that Rivers State would deliver overwhelming support for Tinubu and the APC in the general election, adding that political stakeholders in the state were working in unity.
He further reaffirmed support for the APC governorship candidate in the state, O. K. Chinda, stressing that party leaders and members were united ahead of the polls.
“We have made a commitment that Rivers State, under the leadership of His Excellency Nyesom Wike, will deliver one of the highest votes for President Tinubu in the country, and we stand by that commitment.
“All political actors in Rivers State are on the same page. We are speaking with one voice and pursuing a common objective,” Abe said.
Also reacting to the exercise, APC National Vice Chairman (South-South), Hon. Victor Giadom, commended the peaceful conduct of the primary and described the atmosphere as a reflection of growing political unity in the state.
Giadom credited the prevailing calm and cooperation among party members to the leadership and political coordination of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.
“We must appreciate Chief Barrister Nyesom Wike for the political harmony he has fostered in Rivers State. It is something unprecedented.
“In Rivers State today, people are working together across political interests. The peace witnessed during this primary is evidence that stakeholders have resolved to move in one direction.”
He noted that previous political exercises in the area were often characterised by tension, but said the current development signaled a new phase of cooperation within the state’s political landscape.
“What we are witnessing today is a celebration of unity and peaceful participation. In the past, you could hardly see a primary election in Ogoni conducted peacefully like this.
“This is courtesy of Wike’s management, he has been able to bring everybody together and we are all speaking in one voice. He has done that with precision and carefulness”.
He expressed optimism that the APC would replicate the same level of mobilisation and unity during the general election, assuring that the party would deliver strong support for President Tinubu.
Signed:
Parry Saroh Benson PhD, mnipr
Spokesperson
May 25, 2026
