The Action Congress of Nigeria, Rivers State Chapter says the Saturday, November 10, 2012, constitution review held in Bori is a sham and a mockery of democracy.
A statement issued and signed by the Publicity Secretary of the ACN in Rivers State, Jerry Needam said the outcome of the Bori conference is not the consensus position of the Ogoni people and should be discarded.
Jerry Needam insists another review session is imperative to make room for a more representative position of all the Ogonis.
The ACN publicity secretary faulted the Bori constitution review session organized by the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Mr. Morris Poronem on account of scanty and inadequate attendance.
According to him, the main stakeholders in Khana and Gokana local government areas including the chairmen, councilors, recognized traditional rulers, youth representatives, human rights activists, intellectuals, students, serving and former lawmakers and women groups etc were denied participation in the exercise due to poor publicity and restriction of invitation to a selected few in addition to general apathy to the House of Representative’s style of leadership.
Another reason for the poor turn-out to the review exercise, the ACN mouthpiece noted, was the observance of the 17th Anniversary of the extra-judicial killing of Ogoni Hero, and environmental activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni Martyrs which coincided with the constitution review forum at the same venue and time.
“There also appears to be an evident disconnect between the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Hon Poronem as a result of alleged non-accessibility and poor representation at the National Assembly, “Jerry Needam pointed out.
Describing the outcome of the Bori forum as a collection of views by a few persons, Jerry Needam warned that gone are the days a few persons would gather to decide the will of an ethnic Nationality as populous, divergent in opinions and vulnerable as Ogoni.
He warned overzealous politicians to always differentiate their personal views from those of the majority of Ogonis so that this long expected peoples federal constitution does not exclude the collective will and prayers of the impoverished Ogoni people.
“Our main concern in the ongoing constitution review exercise is to ensure that it reflects the general position of the Ogoni people in all the facets of the management of the national economy,” the ACN publicity secretary, Jerry Needam asserted.
“This, we must protect using all available legal means within our power,” he concluded.
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