Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, has distanced itself from a purported congress reportedly held recently , describing the gathering as illegal, fraudulent and in violation of a subsisting court order.
MOSOP President, Fegalo Nsuke, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, said the congress reflected “extreme desperation” and amounted to a disregard for a judgment delivered by the Saakpenwa High Court on February 27, 2025.
According to Nsuke, the court, presided over by Justice D.G. Kio, nullified the purported election of Engr. Olu Andah Wai Ogosu as MOSOP president and restrained other individuals, including Prince Biira and Legborsi Pyagbara, from parading themselves as presidents of the organization.
He further argued that the poor turnout at the gathering demonstrated that the Ogoni people had rejected what he termed a fraudulent congress.
“MOSOP has dissociated itself from a purported MOSOP congress said to have held last Saturday, describing the action as lawlessness and an utter disregard for a subsisting court order,” the statement said.
Nsuke maintained that the gathering could not be regarded as a valid Ogoni congress because it was not convened or presided over by the recognized leadership of MOSOP.
“That whole thing called a congress is a charade because an Ogoni Congress must be presided over by a president of MOSOP and I was not there neither did I give permission to that whole thing,” he stated.
The MOSOP leader also reaffirmed support for the ongoing dialogue process between Ogoni stakeholders and the Federal Government, coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, aimed at resolving longstanding issues surrounding oil exploration and development in Ogoniland.
“Let it be clear that leadership is about solving problems and not escalating them. There will be no going back on ongoing dialogue to resolve the Ogoni problem of over three decades because it doesn’t make sense to scuttle a dialogue process in a non-violent struggle and MOSOP cannot be part of that thinking,” Nsuke said.
He attributed the actions of those behind the congress to personal interests rather than a commitment to the collective aspirations of the Ogoni people.
“I think too much desperation for personal gains rather than public good is driving people into indiscipline and lawlessness,” he added.
Nsuke described the ONSA-facilitated dialogue as a significant opportunity for the Ogoni people to pursue lasting solutions to issues that have lingered for more than three decades.
“MOSOP has always seen the dialogue process offered by the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, as an opportunity and we will try to make the best we can out of the process,” he said.
While expressing support for the political aspirations of Ogoni citizens, he stressed that such ambitions should be pursued through broader engagement and cooperation with other ethnic nationalities in Rivers State.
He urged Ogoni people to remain peaceful and avoid actions capable of creating division, assuring that MOSOP would continue to negotiate and pursue pathways that would promote peace, development and the overall interest of Ogoniland.
