The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), on Thursday promised to implement the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on the polluted Ogoni environment if elected president in the February 14, 2015 presidential election.
The APC presidential candidate, who made the promise while speaking during a meeting with stakeholders of Ogoni ethnic nationality at Saakpenwa, headquarters of Tai local government area of Rivers State, also promised to complete the abandoned Bodo-Bonny road project.
According to Buhari the decision of the Federal Government to abandon the road project was a clear case of incompetence and social injustice, adding that a lot is being taken from Ogoniland with little brought back in return.
He also urged the people of the area to ensure they get their permanent voters’ cards so as to vote en-masse for the APC at all levels of the general election.
“Your environment has been sentenced to death, much is being taken from Ogoniland but just little is being brought back in return. If I am elected as the president of this country, I will complete the abandoned Bodo-Bonny road project and implement the UNEP report”, the former head of state said.
Responding on behalf of the people of Ogoni, the Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe, pointed out that several injustices have been committed against the ethnic nationality in the last 50 years.
Abe said, “Several injustices have been committed against the Ogoni people in the last 50 years. Oil companies that operated in Ogoni have not fared better in their corporate relations with host communities.
“What is more, the Bodo-Bonny road, the only seeming on-going Federal Government project in Ogoniland is uncompleted years after the Federal Government under President Olusegun Obasanjo awarded the contracts.
“Our position as a people concerning resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni is that there should be adequate consultation, and participation of the Ogonis in the process leading to their eventual operation”.
Speaking in the same vein, the Director-General of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Organization and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, stated that despite being the second most populous ethnic nationality in the state, the people of Ogoni have suffered a lot in terms of environmental degradation and other challenges.
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