The Center For Peace and Development in Ogoni says the quest for an Ogoni governor canvassed during last Saturday’s mini Ogoni congress held in Saakpenwa was diversionary, deceptive and not reflecting the true intentions and aspirations of the Ogoni people.
President of the group, Barine Benson Nnah made this known during a media briefing in Port Harcourt. Nnah contended that Rivers State does not need a sectional and parochial governor as the Ogoni mini congress has canvassed, what Rivers State needs is a governor that will take the entire state as his primary constituency and govern in the interest of all sections of the state.
“We are concerned about the desperation of some Ogoni politicians to occupy government house in 2015 after governor Amaechi and should wonder if such desperation would serve the interest of all sections and people of Rivers State. We wish to clearly state that while we are sympathetic to the Ogoni whose sacrifices and contributions to the restoration of democracy in Nigeria has not been rewarded, we do not see the desperate pursuit for the emergence of an Ogoni governor in 2015 as representing a reward for the Ogoni whose demands are clearly contained in the Ogoni Bill of Rights.
Furthermore, The CPDO is deeply concerned and frightened by the desperation of these politicians to occupy the government house in 2015 given their roles in previous and current crises in Ogoniland ” Nnah said.
CPDO also expressed shocked and disbelief to find that despite MOSOP’s obvious dissociation from the congress, a fake representative was said to have signed the communiqué released at the end of the meeting on behalf of MOSOP. Nnah urged Ogonis to prepare to change the leadership if the entire nationality will not be shortchanged and the dreams of the Ogoni to manage their own affairs be dashed forever.
The CPDO condemned the attempt to change the focus of the Ogoni people from seeking self determination within the federal republic of Nigeria and reducing that vision to that of a mere Rivers State governorship ambition of few individuals in 2015.
“We are unequivocal to state that the Ogoni people want a STATE of their own where they can decide their future and the governorship of Rivers State is not our priority at this time nor is it an Ogoni project as had been orchestrated by some groups. The Ogoni people have not deviated from the vision of our fathers as contained in the Ogoni Bill of Rights and our collective future cannot be compromised by the mere governorship ambition of some greedy politicians.
Let it be known that the Ogoni people will resist every move to short change our collective interest for the ambition of individual politicians. Nnah concluded.
Source: WorldStage
