Press Release
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni people, MOSOP, vehemently condemns in strong terms the reported connivance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials with unscrupulous politicians to subvert the free and lawful will of voters expressed through the ballot box in the February 25 polls in the state. The report indicated that Ogoni was worse hit as this undemocratic conduct and approach disenfranchised the electorate. MOSOP has thus warned of consequences if the manipulated results are not reversed.
Field reports from MOSOP Election Monitoring Team, MEMT, has shown that INEC officials colluded with unpopular local politicians and altered at the LGA Collation Centres at Bori and Kpor, the authentic results emanating from units and wards in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) contestants that lost at the above levels in the said polls. It was further reported that this act of disenfranchisement provoked protests on Sunday, February 26 in the ancestral capital of the Ogoni nation, Bori. And is tension is growing.
Speaking in Bori today, the President of MOSOP, Prince Biira said:
” This undemocratic behaviour of INEC officials and politicians, which has become a recurring decimal, and which has assumed notoriety is unacceptable. It is appalling that 24 years of our presidential democracy, 24 years of repeated condemnations of immoral electoral conduct, the electoral umpire has refused to reform because of pecuniary gains. And instead still get involved in ignoble electoral malpractices that had seen to the abortion of the right of citizens to freely and legally elect leaders of their choice. It is an undisputable fact, that the current democratic dispensation was secured with the blood of Nigerians in the liberation struggle against military rule. Ogoni lost over 2000 natives including a generation of her leadership. Thus, we will resist all negative efforts to truncate this best means of civil governance. Hence we urge the national leadership of INEC to ward into the matter immediately”.
“We would reiterate that 2023 is critical to repositioning Rivers State for the common good of us all. Similarly, 2023 is important for the political liberation of Ogoni. We are therefore calling on all sons and daughters of Ogoni not to be deterred by the criminal developments of last Saturday. We are aware that effective efforts are being made to effect redress. Hence we appeal to all Ogonis to turn out emasse for the March 11 Governorship and House of Assembly polls. And resist all attempts to disenfranchise them as well as ensure faultless defence of their votes from the units to the LGA Collation Centres.
We would warn saboteurs against sabotaging the popular political resolve.
To be fore-warned is to be fore-warned!
