Nunieh Dismisses Ogoni Self-Rule, Favours Integration

Elderstatesman and Senator in the Second Republic, Barrister
Cyrus Nunieh says the Ogonis are still an indivisible group under one Nigeria,
as he dismissed calls for self determination by some groups.

Senator Nunieh made the assertion when he played host to
Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Magnus Ngei Abe on
Tuesday in Port Harcourt.

“We as Ogonis are not pulling out of Nigeria as some people
say. We are in Nigeria and for Nigeria’’, he declared.

Rather than opting out, he said the Ogonis would rather seek
for better placement in the Nigerian polity, especially in the remediation of
its polluted environment and need to have a state.

The ex-Senator decried the poor treatment meted to the area
and  described the oil pollution in Ogoni
land as one of the worst in the world. He urged Senator Magnus Abe to use his
good office to press for environmental remediation and  the establishment of a special university in
Ogoni land that will address the environmental challenges besetting the area.

Barrister Nunieh described Abe’s visit as momentous, saying
it was one of the happiest moments of his life, and enjoined him to see himself
as not only the representative of the Ogoni people,but for all the groups and
people under his constituency.

Earlier in his remarks, Senator Abe said the visit was part
of his efforts to intimate the elderstatesman on the outcome of the Ogoni
meeting with President Jonathan last month.

“ I thought it was important that I should see you in
person, pay my respects, greet you’’ Abe stated,  and used the visit to solicit for Nunieh’s
fatherly advise,” anything you think we can do, or anything you think we are
not doing right as you usually do, feel free to call me and say that this is
where we are going wrong and this is where we can improve’’.

The federal lawmaker assured that the Bori State project to
which the elderstatesman was the chief promoter was already on the table of the
Senate, and would be adequately addressed by the Constitutional Review
Committee.