Traditional Rulers Endorse Ogoni Governorship Bid

Traditional Rulers in Ogoni
land, Rivers State over the weekend threw their support behind Ogoni governorship just as a frontline pressure group in Ogoni, the Ogoni Democratic Movement (ODM) has commenced sensitisation and mobilisation campaign towards realising the Ogoni governorship in 2015.
The traditional rulers announced their endorsement, while receiving the ODM leadership at their various palaces in the area.
Addressing the movement, the Gbenemene Nyokana, King Williams Nzidee said the Yokana Kingdom of Ogoni was ready to do anything possible to ensure that an Ogoni man emerges the next governor of the state.
He called on all Ogonis including those in Diaspora to join in the agitation for Ogoni governorship project.
King Nzidee also called on other ethnic nationalities in the state to allow justice and equity to be the basis of unity and togetherness in the state by ensuring that political positions including governorship is properly arranged to favour all segments in the state.
Also supporting the Ogoni agenda, the Gbenemene Ken-Khana Kingdom, King M.S.H. Eguru and Gbenemene Baabee, King Melford Ikurro unequivocally urged all the ethnic groups in the state to support the Ogoni governorship project, saying that anything contrary would negate the principle of equity and justice in the state.
The royal fathers noted that Ogoni for the past years have supported other ethnic groups for governorship, adding that time has come for Rivers people to reciprocate the Ogoni’s gesture.
The ODM’s President-General Mr. Godwin Bazari described the Ogoni governorship project as inevitable in view of the maginalisation of the area since the creation of the state.
He said, the group embarked on the Ogoni governorship project campaign to ensure that the people of Ogoni including the royal fathers unite to actualise the dream.
The group which has started the campaign for Ogoni governorship in 2015 said that it would bring the consciousness of Ogoni 2015 governorship project to every nook and cranny of the state.
Bazari noted that Ogoni has contributed a lot to the state and the entire Niger Delta, adding that what the Niger Delta was enjoying today was the struggle the Ogonis started years back which took the lives of her prominent persons.
According to him, “In 1999 after the death of Alhaji Moshood O. Abiola, Nigeria saw it that there may be problem, they decided to compensate the people of Yoruba with a presidential ticket, all the political parties featured Yoruba people”.
He said the ODM is not an NGO nor does it represent any political party, but is to ensure that an Ogoni man is elected the governor of Rivers State in the 2015 general elections.
Bazari charged the people to take the Ogoni 2015 Governorship project seriously to prevent further marginalisation of the area.

L-R: Chairman of the cccasion, Prof. Adigun Agbaje, guest lecturer, Prof. Rotimi Suberu and representative of the Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Social Economic Research (NISER), Prof. Victor Adeyeye, at a lecture on Reforming the Nigerian Political System, in Ibadan, last Tuesday.

Enoch Epelle