MOSOP leadership crisis deepens, as 2 factions emerge

By Ihesiulo Grace

9 January 2020

News

The leadership crisis that has factionalized the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has further polarized the organization with the rejection of the transitional council constituted to run the affairs of the body by a faction of the foremost Ogoni organisation.

MOSOP’s faction led by Legborsi Pyagbara had during the 2020 Ogoni Day celebration last Saturday in Bori, the traditional headquarters of the Ogoni people inaugurated a transitional council to pilot the affairs of the body for one year.

The seven- man council chaired by Chief Deebira Keeper and Bari-ara Kpala as secretary is mandated to also reconcile the various factions within the body and conduct credible and fair elections for the leadership positions in the body within one year.

The transitional council which was also sworn in same day, alongside the new executives of another elite organization of the Ogoni people is among other things expected to swear- in brand new executive officers of MOSOP next Ogoni Day in 2021.

But, another faction of MOSOP led by Mr. Fegalo Nsuke has rejected the transitionalcouncil, describing it as illegal, criminal and an exercise in futility.

In a statement released to newsmen on Thursday in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers state, Mr. Nsuke declared the council “as invalid, criminal and an exercise in nullity, the purported announcement of a transitional council for MOSOP by erstwhile President of the movement, Legborsi Pyagbara.”

The statement signed by Mr. Alex Akori, Nsuke stated further that Pyagbara does not have the powers to exercise that authority under the constitution of MOSOP having lost the legitimacy to do so following the expiration of his tenure on December 31, 2018.

“Pyagbara’s tenure expired over a year ago on December 31, 2018,” he said, noting that Pyagbara is currently facing legal action for illegally claiming to be the MOSOP president and therefore, cannot turn round in disregard of the courts to set up an interim management for MOSOP.

Nsuke noted that a duly elected executive of MOSOP is in place which he heads and therefore, the action of Pyagbara and his cohorts were provocative, mischievous, scandalous and futile.

He urged the Ogonis to remain peaceful and disregard the so called transition committee, “as it has no foundation in the constitution of MOSOP, does not make any logical sense and was done in contempt of court.”