The crisis rocking the Ogoni mass movement, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), is fast taking a turn for the worse. Its President, Fegalo Nsuke, says MOSOP has nothing to do with the planned political gathering billed for this Tuesday, January 4, in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoni.
January 4, every year is usually celebrated as Ogoni Day.
But, Nsuke is saying the event will be a political event and he does not intend his presence to validate a decision already taken by the politicians without consultations with MOSOP.
He said the Ogoni day event should not take a repressive posture that does not reflect the ideals of MOSOP and Ogoni people who believe in justice will not participate in the planned events of January 4, 2022, in Bori.
Nsuke spoke at a MOSOP Congress in Bera, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State before the New Year immediately after a Central Committee meeting he presided over.
He is blaming oil politics for the conflicts that has rocked the entire Ogoni, pointing out that conflicts have been driven by personal interests in oil and were destroying the value system thereby constituting real threats to the security and peace of local Ogoni residents.
He also said oil has become a curse, the source of conflict in Ogoni and threatening the lives of the people. Nsuke proposed an engagement with relevant agencies to end the oil war.
The MOSOP President said, “if we do not end the oil war, it can kill a lot more than we can imagine because it has torn us apart, divided us and set us against ourselves”
Nsuke is urging the people to remain united and peaceful as the focus of MOSOP in the coming year will change and tend towards the resolution of the Ogoni problem through the implementation of the Ogoni Development Authority.
In the meantime, MOSOP has approved the suspension of the elections pending the outcome of ongoing legal processes. A statement by its Secretary-General, Alex Akori, stated that the decision was taken at their central committee meeting.
This, Akori explained, followed deliberations on a proposal from the electoral committee for approval to adjust election dates for pending affiliate and national elections of the organization.
The statement disclosed that the secretary of the MOSOP 2021 Electoral Committee, Sunday Ndee presented the proposals to the Central Committee,
Ndee argued that the proposed shift was necessitated by the limited time available in the previous schedule of elections and the due diligence required to conduct credible elections as required by the organization’s established procedures and standards.
He said the MOSOP elections have become a tedious exercise following the large number of affiliates involved and the need to elect delegates from the various kingdoms and special units.
Ndee continued that the task has been very tedious and requires more time to complete and prayed to the Central Committee for an extension of time to complete the remaining elections.
Ndee argued that the period of extension will allow aspiring members of MOSOP who could not meet up with the previous schedule to indicate interests in various positions for the chapter and national elections.
The central committee after reviewing the situation in line with ongoing court cases and based on the recommendations of the organization’s legal adviser overwhelmingly decided to suspend further elections until pending court cases are decided.
