… To liaise with other ethnic groups for governorship
By: Felix Ikpotor
President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Prince Biira has sounded it loud and clear that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not enjoy the electoral support of Ogoni people in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
Biira who stated this in an exclusive interview with Port Harcourt Spectator cited the refusal of the two parties to give their governorship tickets to qualified Ogoni sons and daughters after several years of support and followership as reason for the decision.
The MOSOP leader noted that since the creation of Rivers State over 56 years ago, no person from the area has been governor despite the massive support it has given to people from other ethnic groups.
He frowned at a situation whereby Ogoni as the majority ethnic group in Rivers South East is always overlooked by both PDP and APC anytime governorship ticket is given to the zone.
He said: “Ever since the creation of this state, Ogoni is one of the integral parts and majority ethnic nationality within the context of this state and so far, we have been supporting other ethnic nationalities to occupy the position of governor overtime. For over 56 years, Ogoni has been very supportive to any government that occupies the governorship of this state”.
“Also, since 1990 that democracy came to stay, Ogoni ethnic nationality has been very supportive to candidates from all political parties right from the time of Dr. Peter Odili, we supported him with large volume of votes and he stayed for eight years. His deputy, Gabriel Toby was also from Opobo in our senatorial district (Rivers South East) and thereafter Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers East) came on board and served for eight years. The Ogoni people also gave him the support needed to succeed making it 16 years. When his tenure was coming to an end, he came up with stories and they gave ticket to someone from Opobo. We also gave support to Barr. Nyesom Wike (Rivers East) who will be rounding up by 29th May 2023 and you can see how we have been very supportive of this people. But anytime their tenures are getting over, they will bye-pass Ogoni being a major ethnic group to others”.
” In our senatorial district, Opobo has occupied the position of deputy governor for eight years, even Andoni has occupied the deputy governorship for eight years and now, the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has been given to Opobo again. Also, in the All Progressives Congress, APC, they have given their governorship ticket to Kalabari which is in Rivers West, same senatorial district that Odili came from. So you can see the level of insincerity by these leaders and MOSOP is not happy with that development. So for us, PDP and APC will never enjoy electoral support from the Ogoni people. I’m very authoritative and any Ogoni man that’s conscious of what they are doing to us must cast his vote for Ogoni sons and daughters and I know by God’s grace, other tribes that have conscience would support us”.
He added: ” It doesn’t necessarily mean that we are saying that it must be us but we think that there are Ogoni sons and daughters that are capable and have the character to occupy that seat and dispense equity and justice to all Rivers people”.
On steps by MOSOP to ensure that Ogoni candidates emerge victorious in the elections, Biira said, “the first step we are taking is to mobilise our people to say this is the direction we are going, we are also going to consult with leaders across board and from other ethnic nationalities. We are putting a committee that will do just that and appeal to their consciences to say that they should support us just as we have been supporting others”.
He said Ogonis are united in the quest for political emancipation as that had been one of the tactics against them by power brokers in the state who usually use the excuse of disunity amongst Ogonis to deny them political opportunities.
