Oil resumption: Ogoni leaders demand consent, FG action

The Ogoni Dialogue Committee has said it will not sign the proposed Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government on the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland until credible congresses are conducted across the four Ogoni local government areas in Rivers State.

According to the committee, the congresses were necessary to secure the consent, legitimacy and confidence of the Ogoni people in any agreement reached with the apex Government.

Recall that the ODC has been in talks with the Federal Government on the planned resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.

On Monday, the committee raised concerns about the government’s confidence-building measures and urged the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to show more commitment, especially with regard to the construction of the Eleme section of the East-West Road.

The committee noted that visible development commitments were critical to rebuilding trust in the dialogue process, even as it insisted that any agreement on oil resumption must emerge from an inclusive and transparent process, backed by the acceptance of the Ogoni people.

The resolutions were reached at a meeting of 35 members of the ODC in Port Harcourt, the state capital, where it reviewed the proposed MoU, ongoing consultations and efforts to resolve the lingering Ogoni crisis.

Speaking after the meeting, a monarch and paramount ruler (GbeneMene) of Tai Kingdom, Samuel Nnee, who is also the convener and coordinator of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, called for unity among members to ensure the success of the dialogue.

The monarch commended Tinubu for his commitment to resolving the Ogoni crisis and facilitating the resumption of oil exploration in the area.

He also acknowledged the roles of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr Oluwatosin Ajayi.

“The engagement process has been painstaking and difficult, but we are hopeful that with patience, unity and cooperation, the desired results will be achieved,” he said.

The King of Eleme, Philip Obele, reiterated the committee’s determination to remain united and ensure that the interests of all Ogoni communities were adequately protected.

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The monarch said the ODC would continue to pursue genuine consultations to produce an agreement that would serve the collective interests of the Ogoni people.

King Obelle stated, “We assure all our members and our people that we promise to unite and keep the ODC together. We shall serve our people through adequate consultations, sincere effort and produce an MoU that will serve the interest of all and sundry in Ogoniland.

“We shall not sign any MoU unless and until we have held credible and authentic congresses as approved by the ODC, organised and hosted by our elected council chairmen.”

On the proposed agreement, the Judicial Vicar of the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt and Senior Lecturer at the Rivers State University, Rev. Monsignor Pius Kii, said the committee had resolved to support the Federal Government’s efforts to resume oil exploration in Ogoniland for the benefit of Nigeria and the Ogoni people.

He said the committee also agreed to conclude the harmonisation of the proposed MoU in line with resolutions reached at its previous meeting.

Kii disclosed that the chairmen of the four Ogoni local government areas, who were mandated to sensitise and engage their respective communities ahead of the congresses, had reported significant progress.

According to him, the council chairmen were expected to complete the assignment within the timeline set by the committee, after which the harmonised MoU would be presented to the various local government congresses for consideration.

The committee, however, expressed concern over the suspension of work on confidence-building projects earlier agreed upon as part of the proposed MOU.

A member of the ODC, Prof. Innocent Barikor, appealed to the Federal Government to urgently resume the projects, particularly the abandoned Eleme section of the East-West Road.

He said the implementation of the projects was essential to restoring public confidence and demonstrating the government’s sincerity in the ongoing engagement.

Barikor stressed that the Ogoni people needed to see tangible evidence of the Federal Government’s commitment to the dialogue, adding that the completion of the projects would help reassure communities about the benefits of the process.