According to a report by Vanguard News on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, former President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, Legborsi Pyagbara, has said oil production cannot return to Ogoniland until concerns about the political marginalisation and exclusion of the Ogoni people are resolved.
Speaking during a media interaction with journalists in Port Harcourt, Pyagbara accused the political class in Rivers State of continuously sidelining the Ogoni ethnic group from occupying top political positions despite their significant contribution to the economy of both the state and the country.
The environmental rights campaigner, who is also the Executive Director of the African Foundation for Energy and Sustainable Development, AFESD, stated that the Ogoni people could no longer tolerate a situation where their natural resources benefit others while they remain excluded from political power.
He insisted that there could be no resumption of oil activities in Ogoniland without addressing the political interests of the Ogoni people.
According to him, it is unfair for people to benefit from Ogoni oil resources while denying the people proper political representation and inclusion in the state’s political structure.
Pyagbara maintained that the Ogoni people, being one of the major ethnic nationalities in Rivers State, should not continue to occupy inferior political positions.
He said the Ogoni people should not remain political servants in a state where they are a major ethnic group.
The former MOSOP leader also cautioned against political domination by one ethnic group in Rivers State, stressing that all ethnic nationalities in the state deserve equal rights, treatment and representation.
He added that no individual should see himself as the political overlord of Rivers State, insisting that such a situation would not be acceptable.
Pyagbara said the demand for political inclusion and fairness had become a non-negotiable issue for the Ogoni people, warning that any move to resume oil exploration without resolving those concerns would amount to injustice and continued oppression.
He noted that the Ogoni people are becoming more politically aware and would no longer allow themselves to be used only during elections.
He also advised politicians of Ogoni origin not to pursue personal ambitions at the expense of the collective interest of the people.
Pyagbara further revealed that he and other stakeholders were ready to support any political platform willing to support the emergence of an Ogoni governor in Rivers State, regardless of political affiliation.
He said if some political parties believe an Ogoni person cannot become governor, then the people would have no choice but to support anyone willing to back that aspiration.
According to him, he is prepared to give full support to such a cause whether it succeeds or fails, adding that the Ogoni people must make a strong statement through the struggle.
Arise News
