From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos
The leadership and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogoni, Rivers State have distanced themselves from a purported Mini conference believed to have been sponsored for personal interest by a group of self seeking APC politicians from the area.
The PDP picked holes in the conference as lacking in proper composition and popular representation of Ogoni Intelligentsia and opinion molders.
The party also queried the reason for holding the meeting in secrecy and at a private venue, leaving out Bori, which is the centre and ancestral headquarters of the Ogoni people.
The party accuses political opponents, particularly, the All Progressives Congress, APC as the unseen hand behind the Mini Conference, and using same to deceive the people and market a predetermined political agenda.
More disappointing, the PDP pointed out, was that those behind the conference are basically mediocres as no Ogoniman or woman of substance from the academia, business and genuine stakeholders was in attendance apart from card carrying members and supporters of the APC who merely converged to adopt an already drafted script.
Members of the PDP in Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas have therefore requested that for failing to consult widely and for lacking in terms of popular views and representation cutting across the entire area where the said resolutions supposedly affect, the jamboree and so-called Mini Conference should be disregarded as null and void.
The PDP however, urged all those behind the failed conference to consult widely and make efforts to convene a more elaborate and representative meeting where patriotic sons and daughters who are not just politicians but development and unity focused personalities will attend to contribute to the core issues that affect the people.
“We would support any genuine moves aimed at addressing Ogoni issues and not attempts to advance a political agenda of the APC by those who had never supported the Ogoni struggle but have suddenly realized that they are from Ogoni using the Ogoni State and the UNEP report they had stood against as campaign points.
We shall in the coming days expose those anti Ogoni struggle and agents of Abacha in Ogoni land,” the PDP threatened.
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