Politics
UNEP Reports: APC,MOSOP Laud Buhari …As Group Faults FG’s Move
Member representing Asari-Toru Constituency II in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Enemi George (middle), conferring with his Akuku-Toru Constituency I counterpart, Hon. Granville Wellington (left) and the member for Etche Constituency II, Hon. Tony Ejiogu, during a sitting in Port Harcourt, recently. Photo: Chris Monyanaga
Following the recent ap
proval and directive by the Federal Government to fast-track the long delayed implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report on the environmental restoration of Ogoniland, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for fulfilling his electioneering promises to the Ogoni people.
The party, in a statement on Wednesday, said the move by the Federal Government was a confirmation of the party’s earlier position that President Buhari means well for the Niger Delta as a whole and Ogoniland in particular.
According to the statement, “It further gives credence to the saying that a good friend is by far better than a bad brother.
‘’ For 6 years that President Goodluck Jonathan was in the saddle as President of Nigeria with full executive powers, he ignored the UNEP Report for the cleaning of Ogoniland. The former nation’s leadership carried on as if Ogoniland was not part of the Niger Delta. But today, just 68 days into his administration, President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated that with strong will, love and honesty of purpose, nothing is impossible to achieve.’’
The statement signed by the state Publicity Secretary of APC, Chris Finebone, said the move by the present administration shows that the modest contribution to the development of the Niger Delta so far had been championed by those outside of the region.
Finebone said the party was convinced that history will generously accord pride of place to President Buhari, former governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Senator Magnus Abe “whose audacious decision to lead the state into the APC has now brought succour to Ogoniland, just as it will bring to the entire Niger Delta.”
Also, the President of MOSOP , Legborsi Degbara and the President of Ogoni Central Indigenous Authority, Dr. Goodluck Diibo, commended the Federal Government for its recent move to fast-tract the implementation of the UNEP reports and clean up the areas.
Degbara in a statement said the move by the federal government was commendable and goes to show that the Ogonis are being remembered in the present administration .
Dr. Diigbo also lauded the move but noted that the government’s fast-track actions ignored the report’s technical demands.
According to him, “Even though the report remains disputed, many of EIAS measures investigated, and clarified in the report, are missing.
”Buhari may have a good intention, but, his expressed intentions might deepen old wounds. For instance, Buhari avoided specific mention of recommendations by UNEP, including Ogoniland Environmental Restoration Authority, Environmental Restoration Fund for Ogoniland, A Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, among others, and even, $1billion, considered grossly inadequate for take-off, is now missing.”
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.