I had the opportunity to listen to Chief Mike Lube-Nwidobie in the morning of January 9, 2016, on how and why he is laying claim to the MOSOP presidency. He called in on Rythm 93.7 “ViewPoint” which featured the MOSOP President, Legborsi Saro Pyagbara. With due respect and all sense of decency, I will say I never knew the extent of Lube-Nwidobie’s degeneracy and shallowness until he told his story.

Mike Lube-Nwidobie argued that when he was called upon to present his manifesto, he already had a written document which he circulated to the “congress”. The “congress” decided to reconvene the following day to dissolve the electoral committee and re-constituted a new one which immediately was mandated to conducted elections. Right there and then, he was elected president of MOSOP. Lube-Nwidobie argued that the time frame for the elections was too short and so he condemned the electoral committee for not giving sufficient time.

It is absurd that someone who aspires to the lead the Ogoni people could be this shallow-minded. I am not too sure that I can convince a ten-year-old on this story. That one Mike Lube-Nwidobie, a contestant to the MOSOP presidency, came for elections, expressed some concerns and for that reason, the delegates to the election decided to postpone voting, reconvened the following day to sack the electoral committee and immediately constituted a new one headed by an officer who is currently serving a suspension, the suspended officer presided over an election which saw him, Mike Lube-Nwidobie, emerging the president of MOSOP!

As laughable is this actually is, it makes no sense and should not have taken my time but for the sake of those who may not be familiar with our procedures, I will like to take some time to explain our rules for elections in little detail.

First, Lube-Nwidobie claims that a new electoral committee was constituted by “congress”. Who called the congress? Mike Lube-Nwidobie seems confused about the difference between the delegates to an election, who were gathered at the MOSOP office, Bori, on December 30, 2015 to elect new national officers, and a congress of Ogoni people. I will like to put it on record that a MOSOP congress can only be called by authorisation of the MOSOP Steering Committee or by the MOSOP president in times of emergency. The Steering Committee itself can only be called by the MOSOP President. So when Lube-Nwidobie talks of a congress and dissolution of the Prince Biira-led electoral committee, it clearly shows his ignorance of the workings of MOSOP.

Secondly, I will further like to state that delegate elections is not alien to MOSOP. This has been the practice right from the time of Ken Saro-Wiwa. The delegates are selected from the various kingdoms and by the affiliates of MOSOP. These delegates vote at national elections. Of course, voting is done by one-man, one-vote. Voting can also be done at the Steering Committee of MOSOP to elect national officers. Mike Lube-Nwidobie’s call for every Ogoni to vote is clearly not in line with the MOSOP Constitution, does not follow any precedence within MOSOP and is not practicable as MOSOP does not have the financial and material capacity to conduct a general election involving over 1million Ogonis.

Thirdly, between the Prince Biira-led electoral committee – which was set up by the Steering Committee of MOSOP and had the time to sell intent forms, screened candidates and conducted elections – and the fake one Lube-Nwidobie talked about which he claims was headed by one Legborsi Esaen and which was set up by himself, constituted on December 31, sent out election notifications, sold intent forms, screened candidates and conducted elections at the chapters, kingdoms, affiliate and national levels on the same day the committee was constituted, December 31, 2015, which one gave the people time to participate in the elections? I am deeply sad at Mike Lube-Nwidobie is condescending so low to ridicule himself with these arguments that are lacking in common sense.

Chief Mike Lube-Nwidobie participated in previous MOSOP elections conducted with the same procedures as the last one and has never raised issues.

Lube-Nwidobie is clearly acting a very poorly written script. A script seemingly written by a primary two pupil. A script that ridicules not just his person but all those who overtly or covertly associates with him.

•Fegalo Nsuke, whose photo appears alongside this piece, writes from Port Harcourt. He can be reached via nsuke.fegalo@gmail.com

Update news