Ogoni people of Rivers State have threatened to boycott the 2015 elections if political parties fail to choose Ogoni candidates as their flag bearers.

President of Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Pyagbara, issued the threat at the 19th anniversary memorial lecture of Ogoni heroes held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He also said that the Ogoni are no longer prepared to play second fiddle in the political life of Rivers State after 47 years.

The MOSOP President said: “For more than a year, we have been involved in a campaign for political equality and representation in Rivers State. This campaign is anchored on the third demand in the Ogoni bill of rights, which stressed that Ogoni people need adequate and direct representation as a right of all Nigerian national institutions.

“Any failure by the political parties in the state to field Ogoni candidates as their political flag-bearers automatically means that the Ogoni people will not participate in the 2015 general elections.”

Pyagbara, however, commended the Federal Government for its renewed interest in the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report, urging the government to remove every obstacle that may impede full implementation of the report and match its words with actions because, according to him, the people are tired of shows.

•Adapted from a Adapted from The Guardian report. Photo shows MOSOP President Legborsi Pyagbara