MOSOP Carpets Amaechi Over Comments On Rivers Guber Polls

Elders of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) have expressed concern and branded media reports credited to the former Governor of Rivers State now Transportation Minister, Chibuike Amaechi vowing to truncate the Ogoni governorship quest by stopping Senator Magnus Abe and enthroning a riverine candidate as Governor of Rivers State in 2019.
MOSOP said that Amaechi’s claim that it was not yet the turn of Ogoni, was most unfortunate, insisting that the minister’s stance was capable of re-igniting the shrewd politics of upland/riverine dichotomy, which never united the people nor moved the state forward.
A statement signed by the Secretary, MOSOP Council of Elders, Bari-ara Kpalap, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt, last Monday, also called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to jettison Amaechi’s “hateful and oppressive stance against the Ogoni people”, and warned that “the APC risk rejection in Ogoni, if it fails to heed the advice.
“We condemn the transportation minister’s ignoble position. The stance would not have mattered to us but for his adopted divisive, acrimonious and dangerous methodology in the attempt to scuttle our political dream. Having earlier agreed to, and reassured Ogoni leaders at a meeting of his support for the Ogoni governorship drive, the U-turn demonstrates crass double-standard, reflecting unreliability. It is also a devious plot to pitch Ogoni against our riverine brothers.
“However, we are encouraged by the fact that Ogoni destiny is not in Amaechi’s hands. We recall that the ex-governor weathered tremendous opposition to his gubernatorial ambition, yet he became governor of the state. Former governors, Chief Rufus Ada-George and Dr. Peter Odili likewise experienced similar fate but they triumphed. Since Amaechi is not God but merely playing God, he cannot reverse God’s resolve,” MOSOP elders argued.
According to the elders, “It is on record that the erstwhile governor of Rivers State at a meeting with Ogoni leaders held in Government House, Port Harcourt in December, 2014, swore to support and champion the campaign for an Ogoni governor of the state after the 2015 gubernatorial election.
“The meeting was held in relation to the failure of the APC to allow an Ogoni contest the 2015 governorship poll as the party’s candidate, which was traced to the resistance of ex-governor Chibuike Amaechi.
“In attendance were but not limited to King G.N.K. Gininwa, King Barnabas Bagia, MOSOP President, Legborsi Pyagbara, KAGOTE President, Dr Peter Medee, Senator Magnus Abe, Chief Lebari Mwara, Hon Barry Mpigi, Hon Maurice Poronen, Chief Victor Giadom, Hon Innocent Barikor, Prof Sam Nwideedu, Prof Barineme Fakae, Justice Peter Akere (late), Prince Biira and Comrade Menele Nziidee”, Kpalap said.
“The transportation minister, we must say, has gravely goofed and a man who speaks from the two sides of his month is more dangerous than danger, hence the Ogoni people must be smart and respond adequately to the challenge if we must halt external dictate and ensure our political liberation. It is saddening that the fact that since the creation of Rivers State, no Ogoni, in the face of acknowledged, unsurpassed quality, has held the position of governor, deputy governor, chief judge and speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, yet, Amaechi insultingly and spitefully considers Ogoni unripe. This appalling, repressive and spiteful political war being waged by Amaechi against Ogoni, without doubt, is an exterior trial to our political leap and Ogoni must bravely resist it.
“However, his stance clearly unmasks an ethnic script aimed at crippling the cohesive wings of the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress by dividing and weakening the party against effective challenge to win back the state’s governorship seat in 2019, knowing fully-well that APC would not avail its governorship ticket to an Ikwerre,” MOSOP noted.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana