Warns of disorder affecting oil production
Says endless Forensic Audit is corruption
Akpabio on a mission to feather his 2023 presidential ambition
Admin l Monday, May 31, 2021
YENEGOA, Bayelsa, Nigeria – Commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo has given President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godswill Akpabio a 7-day ultimatum to reconstitute the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC).
Tompolo who is also the Chief Priests of Egbesu deity(the Niger Delta god of War) said that the continuous running of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by a sole administrator at the instance of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Senator Akpabio, is undemocratic and anti-development, hence unacceptable to the people of the region.
Tompolo who is the Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw Nation stated that the people of the region are averse to a one man show in a commission that is supposed to attend to the developmental needs of nine states, namely, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers and that the development will likely set the region on fire, sooner than later.
He pointed out that Senator Akpabios temporal reprieve from the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) protest is a child’s play compared to what is to come in a few days.
“He is about to be awakened to the rage of the Niger Delta region. It is against this background that I wish to call on Mr President, members of the National Assembly and Security Agencies to work towards the constitution of the substantive board of the NDDC within a few days to avert a total breakdown of law and order that will equally affect crude oil exploration and exploitation activities in the region. I hereby proclaim a seven days ultimatum starting the date of this publication to inaugurate the substantive board of the commission”, he said.
“As one from the region, Senator Akpabios initial mission to audit past activities of the commission was seen as welcome development, but later the people realised that it was a personal mission to feather the next of his 2023 political ambition.
“Clearly, the present state of the commission is abnormal and could throw the relatively peaceful region in the country into chaos and acrimony”, Tompolo said, stressing that Godswill Akpabio is undermining the very clear provisions of the NDDC Act under the guise of an endless forensic audit , which he described as evil, and should be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.
“ It is in itself an act of corruption as the people of the region have lost so much resources in the process of the so called forensic audit. No one can tell the amount of money that has been spent by Senator Akpabio in pursuing this divisive agenda. It is obvious that there will be another forensic audit to investigate the activities of Senator Akpabio by the time he let grip off the commission. This is disheartening and worrisome”, he said.
According to him, Senator Akpabio has refused to pay contractors even after evaluation of work done. He has selectively paid his cronies and those in the list of political patronage. “It is an open secret that some contractors have been made to part with up to between 30% and 50% of the contract sum. I ask, where is the equity and probity of this sole administration?”, he queried.
Tompolo said he is surprised about the ominous silence about this anomaly from the region and that Senator Akpabio is perhaps not alone on this NDDC abduction.
“This must be a product of high wired conspiracy among persons from the Presidency, National Assembly and Security Agencies to perpetually silence all well-meaning Nigerians in this strange deal. Senator Akpabio should know that it is time to end this barbaric act as it will be concertedly resisted in the days ahead”, he warned.
