The deputy president of MOSOP, Dr. Fortune Chujor, has written to the president of Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, Legborsi Saro Pyagbara to convene a Steering Committee meeting of the organisation on or before October 25, 2018.
In a letter dated October 18, 2018, the MOSOP deputy president noted some anomalies within the administration of Mr. Pyagbara, citing a recent attack on the publicity secratary of MOSOP, Feghalo Nsuke and the failure of Pygabara to call a steering committee to set up the electoral committee that will conduct elections as the tenure of the Pyagbara-led executive come to an end on December 31, 2018.
Chujor said, “In line with article 5 sub 3 (c) of the MOSOP constitution on tenure of office, which states that: Members of either the Central or Executive Committee shall hold office for three years in the first instance but may be re-elected for another term. You will recall that the first tenure of our leadership started 1st January, 2013 and terminated on 31st December, 2015 while the second term commenced on January 1, 2016 and would terminate on December 31, 2018”.
“You are aware that the annual Ogoni Martyrs’ Remembrance Day comes up on November 10, 2018, which is some 24 days away yet nothing visibly is being done about it. Implementation of the Ogoni clean-up exercise is another sore point. Majority of MOSOP members/Ogoni citizens especially the rural dwellers are in the dark regarding how the project is being implemented”.
continuing, the MOSOP deputy president lamented that, “ nothing is being said about conducting MOSOP elections this 2018 and we are in October, the only free month to political campaigns preparatory to the 2019 general elections, which would have serious implications for the organization. Instead, there are allegations of tenure elongation occasioning internal and external protests; and more worrisomely, are confirmed reports of unleashed violence on perceived pro-election MOSOP members who were meeting recently at the Peace and Freedom Centre, Bori. In fact the Publicity Secretary of MOSOP, Mr. Feghalo Nsuke was particularly assaulted. The Financial Secretary of MOSOP, Chief Theophilous Dike has been reportedly albeit allegedly fingered to have funded the hoodlums who carried out the wicked and lawless act for the masterminds”.
He said in the light of the foregoing, “I would urge an urgent sitting of the Steering Committee between now and Thursday, 25 October, 2018. The meeting shall amongst others, set up an Ogoni Martyrs’ Remembrance committee to plan and organize this year’s event as well as an electoral committee to commence the process of conducting MOSOP general elections this October”.
He explained that the move would be a practical step to demonstrating commitment against tenure elongation and kill the widespread allegations against the body’s leadership, informed by the disturbing silence regarding the said polls and occasioned with various interpretations.
Chujor pointed out that the tenure extension accusation, which the body has offered no convincing response was disappointing, scandalous and increasing the unpopularity of the current exco and capable of causing crisis in the organization.
H e insisted that the only right thing to do was to ensure conduct of elections now to save the organization from crisis.
