The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) wishes to deny all claims emanating from some quarters that a new president of MOSOP has been elected in a secret location in Port Harcourt.
MOSOP wishes to state that the so-called election of Engr. Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu as president of MOSOP is a nullity as it violates all known procedures laid down by the constitution of MOSOP for the conduct of elections and an assault on the authority of the courts and the legal processes that are ongoing on the subject matter.
It is our position that an organization that claims to fight injustice cannot be built on lawlessness and injustice itself. We therefore want to state as follows:
1. On December 19, 2018, Mr. Fegalo Nsuke was elected president of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) at an election held at the organization’s national secretariat after he overwhelmingly defeated fellow contestant, Lazarus Tamana.
2. Following the election victory, the new leadership led by Fegalo Nsuke was inaugurated and on January 4, 2019, were introduced to the Ogoni people at the Ogoni Day event at the Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori.
3. He has since performed creditably well and continues to pursue causes that advance the interests of the Ogoni people and the entire country.
4. After the 2018 elections, some aggrieved parties went to court for various reasons to challenge the election; actions we consider normal and a legitimate right.
6. That in December 2021, the Central Committee of MOSOP, being the highest decision-making organ of the movement decided to put a hold on all MOSOP election processes and directed that all officers of the movement continue to function in their various capacities pending the determination of the legal processes.
5. That the matters are still pending before the various courts at this moment including the Court of Appeal.
7. That for as long as the court processes are on-going and in accordance with the decisions of the Central Committee, the movement is under obligation to maintain the status quo and the election of December 19, 2018 must be respected pending the decision of various courts.
MOSOP therefore wishes to state that no individual or group can be allowed to subvert the cause of justice or institute illegality as a system in MOSOP.
We note, in the interest of the general public, that there is only one president of MOSOP, the person of Mr. Fegalo Nsuke who was elected on December 19, 2018 at the MOSOP Secretariat, Peace and Freedom Center, Bori-Ogoni.
MOSOP reiterates that pending the determination of all contending issues before the courts, the status quo, which acknowledges the election of Mr. Nsuke must be respected by all interests.
The actions of Engr Wai-Ogosu and his likes as reported in the media today, to say the least, are simply a no brainer, dead on arrival and an attempt to bring the movement to disrepute.
We therefore call on all security agencies to ensure that the laws of Nigeria are protected and trouble makers like Wai-Ogosu and his collaborators are prevented from constituting any threats to public peace.
We will further urge the general public to disregard the so-called election in MOSOP as claimed as they were only an attempt of some self seeking fellows to sustain their exploitation of the struggles of the Ogoni people for their personal goals.
We assure the Ogoni people that MOSOP will continue to pursue the cause of development in Ogoni and we will strongly resist every attempt to frustrate these goals.
All further inquiries regarding this issue or MOSOP generally should be referred to the national secretariat of MOSOP, Peace and Freedom Center, Bori-Ogoni.
Signed:
Alex Akori,
Secretary-General,
MOSOP
March 15, 2024
