MOSOP crisis: Nsuke, Pygbara boycott peace meeting, as Chujur says Elemes are marginalized in MOSOP

A meeting to resolve the crisis rocking the leadership of the Movement of the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) held in Bori-Ogoni was boycotted by the factional presidents of the movement, Fegalo Nsuke and Legborsi Pyagbara.

The peace meeting which was midwifed by the President of the Movement of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) United Kingdom, Mr. Lazarus Tamana and other elders of Ogoniland saw prominent Ogoni leaders, past MOSOP leadership members, religious leaders, journalists of Ogoni origin, representatives of security formations such as the Police, Army, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and Senior Retired Military and Naval Officers of Ogoni extraction in attendance.

Also present at the Peace Meeting include a factional MOSOP President, Bari-ara Kpalap, his Executive Committee members, the electoral committee chairman, Chief Prince Biira, Kingdom coordinators and the immediate past Deputy President of MOSOP, Dr. Jonah Chujur.

In his opening speech, Mr. Lazarus thanked all those who made it to the meeting despite their others busy schedules. He also briefed the gathering that invitation was extended to all identified persons and groups associated with the crisis in MOSOP.

He Added that while some could not make it to the peace meeting, some others neither took nor returned his invitation.

However, Fegalo Nsuke’s faction of MOSOP, Naabolobari Naazigalue that claimed he is aggrieved for being screened out of the Nsuke faction and went to Court for the violation of his rights, as well as the immediate past MOSOP President Legborsi Pyagbara who has refused to vacate office since the expiration of his tenure on December 31st, 2018 were among those absent at the peace meeting.

In his speech, Mr Bari-ara Kpalap who addressed himself as the substantive MOSOP President, chronologically narrated what Constitutionally transpired in MOSOP between 2012 and 2015 when two previous elections that brought Legborsi Pyagbara to office were conducted and what the Constitution says concerning Steering Committee Meetings which was last called July 3, 2018 as well as what happened in MOSOP both Constitutionally and Unconstitutionally.

Mr. Kpalap regretted the absence of Mr. Pyagbara and Mr. Nsuke at the peace meeting.

Speaking further as the lead speaker of his faction of MOSOP, Mr. Kpalap pointed out the sources and causes of the problems in MOSOP; those responsible for the crisis, how they’re responsible for the crisis, and then as a man of peace who wants the progress of MOSOP and Ogoniland, proffered solutions on how to resolve the crisis going forward.

He, however, expressed unhappiness over the attitude of those who were invited to the Peace Meeting but refused to honour the invitation. He noted that the Lazarus Tamana-led let peace initiative is the 4th in the series of those who have so far intervened in the MOSOP crisis with a view of resolving it.

He Added that he had been present in previous peace meetings called but while Legborsi Pyagbara had attended just one, Fegalo Nsuke had failed to attend all such meetings including the one.

Also speaking, Dr. Jonah Chujur, the immediate past MOSOP Deputy President confirmed that everything narrated by the MOSOP President, Bari-ara Kpalap was correct.

He, however, expressed sadness that both himself and the people of Eleme are being marginalized in MOSOP such that till date, no Eleme man has been given the opportunity to become MOSOP President.

He added that the efforts he made, contesting under the Electoral Committee Chairmanship of Chief Prince Biira were not also successful as “Bari-ara Kpalap from Gokana was declared MOSOP President and another Gokana man, Nsuke declared himself President of MOSOP” on the other side.

Also speaking, the Coordinator of Chapter heads of MOSOP, Mr. Bobs narrated what he knew about the MOSOP crisis.

He informed the initiators of the peace process and those present how he and his members have approached a State High Court sitting in Eleme to seek judiciary resolution of the MOSOP crisis among others.

In a separate contribution by the National Youth Council of the Ogoni People (NYCOP), the youth wing of MOSOP expressed worry over the crisis in MOSOP which it blamed on the disciples of tenure elongation that failed to initiate transition process and setting up electoral committee as at when due for a unified change of leadership process devoid of crisis and division.

Speaking through its General Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Barinuazor, NYCOP called on the elders of Ogoni to ensure the speedy resolution of the crisis in MOSOP as the Youth Wing would no longer fold its arms and watch MOSOP destroyed by some individuals unconstitutionally.