L-R: Mr Botti isaac, Convener, Social Action, Mr Akpobar Celestine,Team Leader, Peoples Advancement Centre and Rev. Probel Williams, Leader, Ogoni Peoples Assembly at the 28 years anniversary of the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others
A group has called on President Bola Tinubu to assent to the Ogoni Bill of Rights as adopted by the people of the land.
The group include People Advancement Centre(PAC), Ogoni People Assembly, Partners for Electoral Reform and Social Action.
Mr Akpobar Celestine, PAC Team Leader made the appeal at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, to mark the 28 anniversary of the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni people.
It would be recalled that Saro-Wiwa and eight ogoni environmental activists were execution by the military while seeking for justice for their people.
Celestine said the assention of the bill was imperative as it would grant the Ogoni people the political autonomy to control the affairs of the land.
He noted that almost three decades, the struggle by Saro-Wiwa and eight others was still on as the people had continued to fight for the remediation of their lands.
He noted the people are faced with environmental degradation, political marginalisation, economic strangulation, slavery, among others.
“On this particular anniversary, we have a strong hope that the legitimate demands of the oppressed, suppressed, marginalised and economically disempowered Ogoni people will be acceded to.
“This is considering the fact that President Bola Tinubu was part of the struggle and protest for the rights of Ogoni people years back.
” Our prayers is that the president exonerates Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists,”he said.
He also urged Mr president to put an order on the immediate review of the judgment that was given by the Kangaroo Military Tribunal in 1995 that sentenced them to death.
He also called for those who committed genoad in ogon! land to be immediately arrested and proseasted.
According to him, adequate compensation shouuld be paid to families of the over 2000 Ogont men, women and children who were murdered in Ogoni land.
“The president should urgently and passionately looks Into the legitimate demands of Ogont people as enshrined in the Ogoni Bill of Rights with a view to addressing them.
“This incdudes the issue of political marginalisation, as it will interest Mr President that no Ogoni has held any political office since the creation of Rivers State on 27 May 1967,”he said.
He also appealed to Mr President to the considers full implementation of UNEP report on Ogoni.
He also called for the approval of adequate compensation to Ogoni farmers and fishermen who lost their means of livelihoods, among other demands of the people.
Also, Rev. Probel Williams, Leader, Ogoni Peoples Assembly appeals to the Federal Government to look at the pleas of the Ogoni people.
“I want to say that the Ogoni people are nolonger happy, they are hungry and are dying, they need help and only the Federal Government can come to their rescue by meeting their demands, “he said.
Also, Mr Botti isaac, Convener, Social Action said that 28 years after the murder of the Saro-Wiwa and others, the issues raised by them were still pending.
“That is the lost of economic livelihood, environmental degradation, among others are still there.
“We are saying that the people of Ogoni are yet to get justice and we want justice to be served,”he said.(NAN)