2023: Group Canvasses For S’South President

Ahead of 2023 general election, a socio-cultural cum mass mobilisation, pressure group, Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Federal Government to allow the South-South Geopolitical Zone produce the next president.
The group said thatif the region produces the next president, it would enthrone equity and fairness in the polity.
This position was made known in a resolution after its 9th National Leadership meeting held in Port Harcourt.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the meeting, National Spokesman, MOSIEND, Comrade Charles Omusukwu, said the group believed in justice, equity and fairness from the Nigerian government and the multi-national oil companies.
In a communiqué signed by the National President, Hon Kennedy Tonjo West; and National Secretary, Amb Amain Winston Cottrell; the group said, “We are, however, of the strong opinion that the president will allowed to come from the South-South region for equity and fairness”.
The communiqué accused President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration as responsible for the increasing illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta by reneging in his promise to award modular refinery contracts to local refiners.
MOSIEND said the award of modular refineries in the region would encourage local participation, and job creation for teeming unemployed youth’s.
The group also accused the Federal Government of awarding the modular refineries to themselves and their cronies, abandoning the youths and people of Niger Delta region.
“Government awarded the modular refineries to themselves and their cronies, abandoning the youths and people of Niger Delta region”.
The group challenged the Federal Government to make public the owners and the companies they awarded the modular refineries to since 2017.
“We challenge the Federal Government to make public the owners and companies they awarded the modular refineries to since 2017”.
MOSIEND noted that the signing of Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by the government as a form of marginalisation and oppression on the Niger Delta communities.
“We consider the signing of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) as another form of marginalisation and oppression of the Niger Delta communities”.
The communique decried the cancellation of the NNPC pipeline surveillance contracts awarded to the locals to monitor and protect the pipelines from vandalism, saying that the action by Mr. President in 2015 was a trigger for insecurity in the region.
The body said the act caused unemployment and created room for massive illegal bunkering.
The communiqué called on Buhari to review the process of awarding the surveillance security contracts as well as the modular refineries to create rooms for the locals as a way of rekindling hope and saving government billions of dollars.
“We urged Mr. President to review the process of awarding the surveillance security contracts as well as modular refineries to create room for the locals”.
The body commended NNPC for the rehabilitation of the refineries as it would frustrate the process of fuel subsidy, adding that the process would encourage the deregulation process in earnest.

By:  Chinedu Wosu