25 June 2017, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has described the Federal Government’s flag off of the Ogoni cleanup as politically-motivated due to the rerun elections in the state at the time.
Recall that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo flagged off the cleanup of hydrocarbon-polluted sites in Ogoniland as recommended by the UNEP report, with pomp and pageantry on 2nd of June 2016, in Bodo, Rivers State.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the United States of America Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr William Symington, at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike called on the Federal Government to begin the cleanup of Ogoniland.
The governor explained to the US ambassador that since the rerun elections in the state, the people of Ogoni were yet to see any tangible thing from the Federal Government concerning the cleanup.
Wike advised that all tiers of government should be focused on governance instead of dwelling on the 2019 election.
“The Ogoni cleanup was flagged off to boost the political chances of APC politicians from Ogoni extraction during the Rivers rerun election.
“We must be sincere to our people, we must help our people. The cleanup of Ogoniland is so vital. What will it cost the government? This is the place where the oil is taken from and the place is polluted. The farmlands, rivers are polluted. The people cannot farm any longer.
“Yes, the Ogoni cleanup has been flagged off, so what follows next?,” he queried.
Earlier, the US ambassador said the focus of his visit was to interact with the people of the state and learn about the state.
