The leadership of the Conscience of Ogoni People has criticised fresh conditions reportedly set by a faction of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) ahead of the planned resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.
The factional President of MOSOP, Andah Wai-Ogosu, had called on the Federal Government to fully fund the Federal University of Environment, provide employment opportunities for qualified Ogoni youths in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, and unbundle OML 11 to enable Ogoni people participate directly in oil exploration through cooperatives, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act.
Reacting to the demands, the Leader of the Conscience of Ogoni People, Chief Gani Topba, said the Ogoni people should not revisit issues already agreed upon during discussions with the Federal Government. He noted that those making the fresh demands were part of the delegation that previously met with President Bola Tinubu on the matter.
Topba urged those raising additional demands to instead engage relevant stakeholders to ensure the implementation of agreements already reached. He also dismissed calls for the creation of Bori State, advising proponents to follow the constitutional process.
On the controversy surrounding the existence of KAGOTE, Topba maintained that the body ceased to exist after its dissolution, which led to the formation of MOSOP. He argued that no congress had been held to reconstitute KAGOTE and accused those claiming to be its members of misleading the public.
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