Douglas Blessing
The Ogoni Central Indigenous Authority has protested the loss of 300 of their loved ones, in recent polls, declared non-participation in the forthcoming elections in Rivers state.
The President, Ogoni Central Indigenous Authority (OCIA), Dr Goodluck Diigbo, made the ‘Electoral Pause’, declaration, at the weekend, in Teyork, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers.
Dr Diigbo, said the move to cancel Nigeria’s 2023 election in Ogoniland is imperative, especially since Ogoni lost over 300 persons during previous elections due to political clashes and military involvement, while the government refused to respect human rights.
He said: “We make an emergency declaration of the electoral pause, an instrument devised to suspend participation by the people of Ogoniland, in Nigeria’s 2023, and future elections.”
“The electoral pause declaration follows several recent armed clashes, involving 2023 candidates and their opposing political parties in our land. The choice of this electoral pause is to save life”, he affirmed.
Dr Diigbo regretted the December 25 – 26, 2022, armed clashes at Buedum – Gbenebue, Nonwa, between Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which resulted to heavy shooting and destruction of both party Secretariats, as well as several others.
He warned. “As the yet to be held 2023 elections account for recent shootings, kidnappings and murder attempts in many places in Ogoniland, the Ogoni Self Government has responded by suspending the Ogoni participation in the polls, for fear of another round of storms of terror and bloodbath”.
Blaming the loss of 300 lives on past similar clashes and military involvements, the OCIA President, said the electoral suspension in Ogoniland was predicated on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, article 5, 18, 19 and 30.
The Ogoni rights activist, noted that the bereaved families want the Ogoni politicians, police and army, to explain what happened to their loved ones.
“The Ogoni self government needs time to review the past, while the electoral pause provides a period of transition for constructive engagement and resolution of irreconcilable differences between the Ogoni self government electoral system and that of Nigeria.
Diigbo stressed that resolution to suspend Ogoni participation in Nigeria’s 2023, and future elections began at 250 village Councils, 33 district Councils and 15 provincial assemblies.
Explaining further, he said that the resolution reached the Ogoni Central Electoral Commission (OCEC), which took the issue to Ogoni District Central Assembly (OCDA), and then Ogoni National Legislative Assembly (ONLA).
According to President DIIGBO, the Joint resolution of both houses of Assembly OCDA and ONLA, had stated that the Nigerian government neither consulted nor requested their approval, before deploying battle ready military forces on Ogoni soil.
“Electoral pause is the consequence of terror in Ogoniland. Fearful of the Nigeria Police force and army, who periodically sweep into our villages to rape and murder girls and their mothers, and assassinate their sons and husband’s, we resolve to suspend participation in the 2023, and future elections, in Nigeria”.
The group further raised a special alert for the 2023 general elections, urging the youths to feel free to defend themselves with the use of reasonable force, saying that self defence measures followed the trigger of OCIA 2015 Individual and Collective self-defence law.
The President of the Ogoni Central Ingegenous Authority, however, maintained that they are still open to constructive engagement, without yielding any of their freedoms or rights, as they vowed to maintain and enjoy their dignity, as a people.
