No Election In Ogoniland – Group

A group, the Ogoni Central Indigenous Authority (OCIA) has said the forthcoming 2023 general election will not take place in the entire Ogoni ethnic nationality of Rivers State.

Ogoni ethnic nationality, made up of four local government areas and the second largest ethnic group in the state, has no fewer than 16 of its indigenes running for governorship, house of assembly and national assembly seats in the February 25 and March 11 polls.

But briefing newsmen at Teyork community in Khana local government area of the state yesterday, OCIA president, Goodluck Diigbo said the move to cancel the 2023 election in Ogoniland became necessary due to bitter experiences of the people during previous elections in the country.

Diigbo stated that the people of Ogoni lost over 300 persons during previous elections due to political clashes and military involvement while the government refused to respect human rights.

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He said the resolution to suspend elections in Ogoniland was reached by both the Ogoni District Central Assembly, and the Ogoni National Legislative Assembly.

The OCIA President said: “Today, the Ogoni Central Indigenous Authority, OCIA makes an emergency declaration of electoral pause; an instrument devised to suspend participation by the people of Ogoni 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 Ogoniland.”

Diigbo explained that there have been heavy shootings, kidnapping, murder and manhandling of villagers from political thugs loyal to All Progressives Congress (APC), the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between December 2022 and January 2023, hence the need for the imposition of electoral pause in Ogoniland.

He said the suspension of the electoral process in Ogoniland was predicated on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, article 5, 18, 19 and 30.