• Mrs Ogbebor Applying Double Standard – Abai
The duo of Chief Mrs Rita-Lori Ogbebor and Asari Dokubo have come under the heavy hammer of the Niger Delta Movement For Radical Change (NDMRC) over what it considered an unreasonable attack on the winner of the recent Pipelines Surveillance and Security Contract, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo.
NDMRC, a vociferous oil monitoring group that is committed to the positive change and development of the Niger Delta, in a press statement in Warri last week, tongue-lashed the Itsekiri-born Rita-Lori of equating the award of the contract with anarchy.
Responding to the inciting statement of Rita-Lori”s opposition to the N48 billion contract awarded to Tompolo, the group in the statement jointly signed by its President, Nelly Emma, Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer (PRO), Stanley Mukoro, urged the Itsekiri chief to stop playing up ethnic sentiment, adding that at this critical moment what is required is unity among the people of the Niger Delta to tackle the hydra-headed monster of oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering.
The statement said, among other things, “Our attention has been drawn to the outburst of Chief (Mrs) Rita-Lori Ogbebor on the award of the pipeline contract to Tompolo and we must say that we are saddened by her position on the issue.
“It is very sad and painful that at a time that we are talking about how to promote national unity and halt the unabated illegal oil bunkering in the oil-rich region, Chief (Mrs) Rita-Lori Ogbebor is bringing tribal issues into the award of the pipeline contract to a respected son of the region, Tompolo. We are highly disappointed with her position on the pipeline contract.”
The group which noted that only a mischievous person who is engaged in oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering can come out openly to challenge the award of the contract to Tompolo by the Federal government, however, said it is yet to establish that Chief Mrs Ogbebor is one of those economic saboteurs who have turned themselves to enemies of the Niger Delta and the nation.
“We hate to believe that she is into illegal bunkering hence she is seriously against the award of the pipeline contract to Tompolo because it is only those who are milking the nation high and dry and smiling to the bank with their proceeds from illegal bunkering business will really go against the pipeline contract.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we want to let Chief (Mrs.) Rita-Lori Ogbebor to know that Tompolo has magnanimously sublet an aspect of the pipeline contract to an Itsekiri son, Chief Emani Ayiri in his determination to carry everybody along as far as the pipeline contract is concerned.
“Chief (Mrs) Rita-Lori Ogbebor is certainly on her own because only recently Itsekiri youths stormed Oporoza, Headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta where they declared their support for Tompolo and promised to work with him on the pipeline contract awarded to him by the NNPC and the Federal Government.
“She should stop promoting tribal war because her children are not on grounds and if there is a crisis today, only innocent children and not her own will be affected and we want to implore the Olu of Warri Kingdom Ogiame Atuwatse III to be wary of the kind of chiefs around him so that he is not misled by mischief makers and those promoting tribal war.
“The time is really up for those deeply involved in the illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta Region that has destroyed the ecosystem in the area and led to the loss of revenue by the Federal Government and it is Tompolo that can help the government to halt the illegal bunkering.
“Let all those who are making so much money from the illegal oil bunkering and who is against the award of the pipeline contract to Tompolo have a quick rethink and accept the reality on the ground that Tompolo has come on a rescue mission as he has all it takes to deliver on this national assignment and people like Chief (Mrs) Rita-Lori Ogbebor and Asari Dokubo cannot stop the moving train”, the group warned.
NDMRC also took a swipe at Asari Dokubo over his incessant attacks on Tompolo following the award of the pipeline protection contract to him.
The group described Dokubo as an enemy of the Niger Delta and, indeed, the entire country,
“We have come across all the unpleasant comments and interviews granted by Asari Dokubo against Tompolo regarding the pipeline contract and it is unfair and very unfortunate that this same man helped by the former Niger Delta warlord, Tompolo is out saying all kinds of things about a man so much respected throughout the country.
“Asari Dokubo has forgotten in a hurry how Atake Tom chased him away from Rivers State over 20 years ago and Tompolo sheltered him by giving him asylum to protect him from Atake Tom and his boys and when he was returning to Rivers State, the same Tompolo gave him enough boys to follow him back home for his safety and protection,“ the group said.
Meanwhile, a notable son of the Ijaw nation and Publisher/CEO of Gbaramatu Voice newspapers, Chief Jacob Abai has described Mrs Rita-Lori Ogbebor’s diatribe against Tompolo over the contract as an ignoramus who is applying a double standard.
Abai reminded the Ogbebor that while in one breath she is criticizing the Federal government for awarding the pipeline contract to Tompolo, she is feigning ignorance of the fact that the government and NNPC also awarded a bigger chunk of a similar contract to the Itsekiri monarch, HRM Ogiame Atuwatse.III, the Olu of Warri kingdom where she hails from.
According to him, while Tompolo’s contract was worth only N48 billion a year, the one allegedly awarded to the Monarch’s company was N138.7b per annum, asking Mrs Ogbebor if she was not aware or just feigning ignorance.
Abai also drew the attention of the Itsekiri Chief to the fact that, because of the magnanimity of Tompolo, he sublet a portion of the contract awarded to him to another Itsekiri son, Chief Emami Ayiri, in the spirit of carrying everybody along.
He recalled that only recently, a section of Itsekiri youths stormed Oporoza, headquarters of the Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta state to show support and appreciation to Tompolo.
“Is she also unaware that Pipelines Infrastructure Limited, a company wholly owned by the Olu of Warri, was contracted to superintend crude oil-bearing pipelines in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, at a net sum of N11.5b Monthly and N138.7b per annum?
“Or has she forgotten that the said sum excludes the already existing contract in Delta and Bayelsa states, awarded some years to Ocean Marine Solution Limited owned by the late Captain Hosa Okunboh, the father-in-law to Olu of Warri, where the Olu of Warri also, and currently functions as the substantive Chairman?
“Comparatively, if these high volumes and chains of pipeline surveillance related contracts valued at over N11.5b monthly and N138.7b per annum currently managed by, and bounties single-handedly enjoyed by the Olu of Warri and his family could not cause trouble in the Niger Delta region all these years, how could the paltry sum of N48bn per annum contract recently awarded to Chief Tompolo elicit crisis?
“Is Chief (Mrs) Rita-Lori Ogbebor oblivious of the fact that Tompolo has magnanimously sublet an aspect of the pipeline contract to an Itsekiri son, Chief Emami Ayiri in his determination to carry everybody along as far as the pipeline contract is concerned?
“Has she forgotten that very recently, Itsekiri youths stormed Oporoza, headquarters of the Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta state where they declared their support for Tompolo and promised to work with him on the pipeline contract awarded to him by the federal government?”, Abai asked.
The Gbaramatu chief advised that “the Niger Delta region will be an abode of peace where development reigns supreme if the likes of Chief (Mrs) Rita-Lori Ogbebor could repent of their evil thoughts and slanted actions.”
