Nigeria: Ogoni Quest for Autonomy Attracting Mass Support

ONGOING campaign by the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), for political autonomy for the Ogoni people of Rivers State, has statrted to attract mass support with some 40 registered political parties in the country standing behind the lobby, reports AkanimoReports.

Emmanuel Aluzim, Chairman of MOSOP Political Action Committee, told AkanimoReports on Wednesday that ''at least'' 40 registered political parties including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have vowed to work for free, fair, nonviolent and peaceful elections in Ogoniland; to boost the MOSOP Plan of Action aimed at 2011 general elections in the country as the means to achieve an Ogoni referendum to actualize Ogoni autonomy.

The referendum will enable the Ogoni people to reclaim all rights provided for by the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted September 13, 2007. Nigeria is a party to the UN Declaration.

Some of the other political parties said to be backing the Ogoni struggle include All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) among others.

Spokesperson and factional President of MOSOP, Goodluck Diigbo, who is planning to meet with political party leaders at all levels, had outlined modalities to authenticate political party backing of the Ogoni referendum.

Diigbo explained that verbal support would not be enough; and said that each political party candidate contesting election in Ogoniland could demonstrate actual support by signing an undertaking in writing.

Each political party leadership at ward, local government, state and national level would be required to undertake in writing to support the outcome of the relevant general elections as an Ogoni referendum for the Ogoni autonomy.

Diigbo further told the political parties that only credible elections would translate their support and urged them to work with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which conducts elections in Nigeria to overhaul the system in order to close electoral loopholes, such as rigging and bloodshed.

The oath-taking ritual was sponsored by the Ogoni Democratic Forum, ODF – a body campaigning with MOSOP to end fraudulent and violent elections toward significant improvement in the economic and socio-political situation of the indigenous Ogoni people.

Political leaders have according to them, promised to work to adequately implement and enforce of the electoral code of conduct and the observance of voting regulations in their localities.

For 20 years, the Ogoni have sought greater political autonomy, oil deposits control and corporate accountability by oil companies, especially Shell accused of involvement in the judicial murder of Ken Saro-Wiwa, who had founded MOSOP. In June of 2009, the Anglo-Royal Dutch/Shell brokered a court settlement of $15.5 million in New York to abort the court process set to hold Shell accountable for involvement in the hanging of Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders.

On November 10, 2010, Diigbo had introduced a Plan of Action setting a deadline of May 22, 2011 for Ogoni autonomy; saying that Ogoni heroes and heroines must not die in vain.

ENDS

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