By Daniel Abia / Snr Correspondent P/Harcourt
Determined to ensure that an Ogoni occupies the Rivers State Government House in 2015, the people of the ethnic nationality have dedicated their governorship bid tagged, ‘Ogoni project 2015’, to God.
A church service to this effect organised by the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) was held on Sunday under the theme, ‘That we may be one’.
It attracted a mammoth crowd of Ogonis across party lines.
The event was held at the Wesley Methodist Cathedral in Bori, the ancestral home of Ogoni people and headquarters of Khana Local Government area. President of MOSOP, Legborsi Pyagbara, restated the position of Ogonis on governorship come 2015, urging the people to form a coalition to ensure they produce a successor to Governor Amaechi.
He insisted that “the time for an Ogoni governor has come”.
“Let’s culminate our struggle for justice, liberation and against environmental degradation with the election of a Governor in 2015 from Ogoniland; we therefore appeal to the leadership of all political parties to look at Ogoni in the choice of their standard bearers.
“Our position is clear: any party that is interested in our votes should field an Ogoni as its governorship flag bearer in the 2015 gubernatorial election.
“We assure an Ogoni governorship candidate and the party he represents of our collective votes,” Pyagbara said.
On his part, President of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme (KAGOTE), Peter Medee, said: “We cannot lose it in this generation; we must grab it now or we have to wait for another 24 years. Those saying no more zoning are enemies of Ogoni.
“They are those conspiring against the people of Ogoni. Whether it is APC or PDP, we must unite to get the governorship position.”
In his solidarity message, the member representing Tai/Eleme/Oyigbo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Barry Mpigi, who also spoke on behalf of Senator Magnus Abe of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said Ogoni people are prepared to produce the next Governor of the state, not minding the political platform, through which it was achieved.
Mpigi said: “Must we continue to be slaves? This is the time. Whether it is Senator Magnus Abe or Senator Lee Maeba, Ogoni people are prepared to move forward. Whether it is APC or PDP, Ogonis must move forward.”
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