By: Felix Ikpotor
…Wike urged to shelve planned protest
Ogoniland in Rivers State is presently wearing a new look as the Federal Government sets to kick start the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report on oil impacted sites in the area.
People are presently travelling home from far and near to witness the official flag-off of the exercise which had been an issue since the report was released and officially presented to the Federal Government about seven years ago.
Already security has been beefed-up in the area awaiting the arrival of the president, Mohammadu Buhari who is expected to officially flag-off the clean-up exercise tomorrow (Thursday) at Bodo in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Similarly, the Chairman Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditonal Rulers, King Godwin Gininwa has called for a stakeholder meeting today to fine tune preparations towards the arrival of the president tomorrow for the clean-up.
Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, All Progressives Congress candidate for the yet to be concluded Rivers South East Senatorial elections had already described the exercise as a fulfillment of the promises of the Buhari government to the Ogoni people, urging the people to come out in their numbers to welcome the president.
President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, Legborsi Pyagbara on his part had also urged the people to be peaceful and come out in their numbers for the exercise.
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the APC said it has uncovered plans by the state governor, Nyesom Wike to sponsor PDP thugs to disrupt the exercise.
The party in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone said the thugs would disguise as indigenes of the area to cause mayhem.
