Rivers Progressives Challenge Ogoni on Oil Shutdown and 2027 Governorship Ambitions

The Rivers Progressives' Network has called for an 'honest reflection' on the relationship between the Ogoni people, oil production, and the state's economic interests. The group argues that decades-long suspension of crude oil production in Ogoniland must be weighed against the economic burden borne by other oil-producing communities.

The network acknowledged the historical significance of the Ogoni struggle for environmental justice but said the time had come to balance demand for rights with responsibilities to the state and country. It cited an estimate that the suspension had cost Nigeria about $226.734 billion in potential revenue over more than three decades.

The Rivers Progressives' Network invoked the history of Umuechem, where residents protested against environmental degradation and alleged neglect in 1990. The group asked if halting petroleum production now attracts greater national recognition than sustaining, and whether every oil-producing community should adopt the 'Ogoni approach' and shut down their oil wells.

The network also drew attention to prominent Ogoni professionals in strategic national institutions, including Senator Magnus Abe, who chairs the board of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and Professor Innocent Barikor, Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).