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By Amaechi Okonkwo
A political group, Ogoni Democracy and Development Forum (ODDF), has joined the agitation for politicians in state to ensure that the next governor of Rivers State is of Ogoni extraction.
This, they said, would be in synch with political and social justice in the nation, arguing that “Ogoni has been politically marginalised in the state for the 55 years of the state’s existence.” The group urged various political parties, especially the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to ensure that aspirants of Ogoni extraction emerge as their governorship flag bearers ahead of the 2023 elections.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday in Port Harcourt on the title ‘The Road to 2023: Addressing the Political Marginalisation of the Ogoni People, Fifty-Five Years After,’ the convener of the group, Legborsi Pyagbara, stressed that the Ogoni have been silenced in strategic political positions in the state and country at large.
The former president of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) stated that political marginalisation is part of the core issues in the ongoing Ogoni struggle for justice.
“As the clock ticks to the 2023 general elections and political parties are making frantic efforts to meet the deadline set by INEC for the emergence of candidates to represent their various political parties, we wish to draw the attention of leaders of the political parties to seize this opportunity to address the political injustice that has been against the Ogoni people over the years by successive government in Rivers State since its creation.
Pygbara added; “We are appealing that the leaders should demonstrate statesmanship, equity, fair-play and sense of justice by ensuring that a Rivers Governor of Ogoni extraction emerges as governorship flag bearer on their various political parties particularly, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC.
“The issue of political marginalisation of the Ogoni people has been one of the triplets of core issues in the ongoing Ogoni struggle for justice. The Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR) submitted to the government and people of Nigeria in October 1990 had amongst others called on the government of Nigeria to guarantee the Ogoni people adequate and direct representation as of right in all Nigeria national institution.
“Globally, it is an irrefutable fact that there cannot be effective participation in a true democracy without an equivalent adequate representation at levels of authority and governance.
“The continual denial of the Ogoni people’s representation at these levels smacks of discrimination, injustice, political impunity and is antithetical to the practice of genuine and inclusive democracy”, Pyagbara said.
