By Awyetu Asabe Hope
The Executive Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nnimmo Bassey, has urged Nigerians to reject presidential and governorship candidates who fail to present concrete plans for environmental remediation and restoration, particularly in the oil-polluted Niger Delta.
Bassey made the call on Saturday, during the 8th Graduation Ceremony and Annual Leadership Lecture of the Kebetkache/Centre-LSD Leadership School in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Speaking on the theme, “Leadership for Environmental Justice in the Niger Delta,” the environmental activist called for accountable leadership that prioritises ecosystem restoration, community protection and the rights of people affected by pollution.
He said the Niger Delta continued to suffer the consequences of decades of oil exploration and extraction, including polluted waterways, degraded farmlands, declining fish stocks, gas flaring and loss of livelihoods.
According to Bassey, despite the region’s immense ecological and cultural wealth, oil revenues have not translated into dignified living conditions for many residents.
He described environmental degradation as not only an ecological challenge but also an issue of justice, accountability, power and development.
Citing estimates that between 240,000 and 260,000 barrels of crude oil are spilled annually into the Niger Delta environment, alongside decades of routine gas flaring, Bassey called for urgent and decisive action to address the region’s environmental challenges.
He urged voters to scrutinise candidates’ environmental commitments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Any candidate that does not have concrete plans for the remediation and restoration of the deeply damaged environment should not be given a single vote by the electorate,” he said.
