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MOSOP Pledges Support For Amaechi’s Political Struggle
As the ground swell of support for the administration and the political struggle of the Rivers State Governor and Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi continues to mount, stakeholders across the spectrum in Ogoniland have expressed unalloyed support for the governor and his government’s struggle to protect the interest of the state.
The stakeholders spoke in separate interviews last Saturday, at the 21st anniversary celebration of the Ogoni struggle for justice at Bori, the traditional headquarters of the Ogoni people.
The stakeholders include community and environmental rights activists, traditional rulers, members of the Ogoni elite, women and youth leaders, and a cream of the Ogoni population from all the four local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai, and Eleme in the state.
Speaking in an interview, President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Pyagbara, said that Ogoni people were strongly behind Governor Chibuike Amaechi on the cause he was pursuing, which according to him, was “in line with goals of the Ogoni people in the Ogoni Bill of Rights”.
Pyagbara stated that Governor Amaechi has shown to the Ogoni people in all the four local government areas that he loves them through many development projects, which spread across all communities.
He reiterated MOSOP’s stand to support Governor Amaechi in his genuine cause to ensure justice for Rivers people and all Nigerians, irrespective of political leaning or religious affiliation.
Pyagbara expressed dismay at Federal Government’s delay tactics in the implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme report on Ogoniland as promised by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and pledged to work with the governor to ensure implementation of the report to the letter.
Also speaking, Chairman, Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, His Majesty, Godwin Gininwa restated the commitment of Ogoni traditional rulers to support Governor Amaechi in his struggle to ensure that the state was given its due and treated as a major player in the nation’s political life.
Gininwa, whose position was made known by the Mene Bua Bangha, Chief Suanu Baridam, said that “any Ogoni person who fails to support Governor Amaechi’s political struggle is blind.”
The traditional ruler said that Ogoni people have every reason to support the administration of Governor Amaechi because of the government’s policy of ensuring justice, equity and economic empowerment for all Rivers people.
He enjoined the Ogoni political leaders to shun selfish interests and tendencies, and work with Governor Amaechi to achieve the collective good of the people, saying that personal aggradisement and selfish ambitions would not lead the people anywhere in the nation’s political map.
In his remarks, the Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, commended Governor Amaechi’s administration for its stand and pressure on the Federal Government to speedily commence the implementation of the UNEP report for the sake of justice.
He said the report was not all about Ogoni people alone, but about the survival of the entire people of the Niger Delta, whose natural endowments had been devastated and degraded by crude oil exploitation and exploration in the region.
Saying that only an evil government would decide to do nothing about a report which indicated that its citizens were in danger and in urgent state of peril, and called on the Federal Government to fulfill its commitment in 2008 to the people of Ogoni to the effect that the UNEP report was implemented without any adjustments.
He promised to continue to work with Governor Amaechi to pressure the Federal Government to begin implementation of the UNEP report as quickly as possible, saying that the governor has carried the crusade for the implementation of the report to every fora as one of policy thrusts in the state.
Abe called on all Ogonis to support Governor Amaechi in his struggle to get the Federal Government to give Rivers State its due in terms of revenues, infrastructural projects and appointments.
A cross section of other stakeholders, including women and youth leaders, who spoke in separate interviews expressed readiness to continue their unalloyed support and commitment to the cause undertaken by the Governor Chibuike Amaechi-led government until justice was seen to have been served in the state.
Cross section of journalists at the interactive session with Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, at Government House, Port Harcourt, recently. Photo: Chris Monyanaga.
Enoch Epelle
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.