14092022

4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES:
:Vanguard
News
Tompolo contract: Boyloaf, ex-militant
leaders knock Asari-Dokubo
....As PANDEF, INC wade in, sue for peace
By Emma Amaize,
South-South, Sam
Oyadongha, Davies
Iheamnachor,
Chioma Onuegbu
and Ozioruva Aliu
SABA—FORMER commander
Aof the defunct Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND,
Victo-Ben Ebikabowei, aka Boyloaf,
other ex-militant leaders and
stakeholders of the Niger Delta, yesterday,
lashed out at militant leader and warlord,
Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, over his recent
outburst against the ex-MEND leader,
Government Ekpemupolo, alias
Tompolo, over oil pipeline surveillance
contract by the Federal Government.
This came as the Pan Niger Delta
Forum, PANDEF, the South-South
regional group, and Ijaw National
Congress, INC, the umbrella sociocultural
body of Ijaw ethnic nationality in
the Niger Delta, intervened in the
simmering feud.
Dokubo-Asari, also the founder of the
Niger-Delta People’s Volunteer Force,
NDPVF, triggered the crisis when he
kicked against the multi-billion-naira
pipeline surveillance contract, which the
Federal Government awarded to five
companies, including two, that Tompolo
has an interest.
Unexpected
offensive —PANDEF
PANDEF, the mouthpiece of leaders
and stakeholders of the coastal states of
Niger-Delta, which weighed into the
matter, yesterday, said: “The reported
comments of Dokubo-Asari on the
pipeline surveillance contract awarded
to Tompolo, are not unexpected.”
National Publicity Secretary, PANDEF,
Ken Robinson, told Vanguard in Port-
Harcourt, Rivers State: “Perhaps, the
major problem here was the way and
manner in which it communicated the
award of that contract to the public. The
impression forged that Tompolo contract
was the first and only infrastructure
surveillance contract awarded to a
company with an indigenous interest in
the Niger Delta is not true.
“However, Dokubo-Asari and
Tompolo, both notable sons of Niger Delta,
are committed to the peace and stability
of the region and the country at large. We
are, therefore, confident that they will
resolve their perceived differences.
“We urge the authorities to correct any
plausible omission. PANDEF would
intervene where and when necessary,
while further appealing for greater
understanding and cordiality among our
people.
“The sad story of the persistent,
humongous stealing of our crude oil, by
organized criminals and corrupt officials,
is absurd and alarming. The ramifications
are affecting not only the national
economy but also all Nigerians,” the
group said.
INC c’ttee submits
report —Prof Okaba
National President, INC, Prof.
Benjamin Okaba, who confirmed the Ijaw
apex group was handling the matter, told
Vanguard on phone: “The leadership of
the INC is currently engaging all the
stakeholders, including the ex-militants
concerned.”
Vanguard learned that a five-man
committee inaugurated by INC had met
with both Tompolo, who has declined to
make public comments on the matter, and
Dokubo-Asari and submitted its report on
the way forward.
Okaba said the engagement was “to
create an enabling environment that will
foster mutual trust and understanding on
how best to execute the said contract ,
without compromising the collective
ideals of the Ijaw struggle for selfdetermination
and environmental
wellness.”
His words: “The five-man INC
committee had submitted their report on
their findings and recommendations. I
have spoken with the key players and we
hope everything will end well for all
concerned parties.”
Unacceptable,
says Boyloaf
Defunct MEND commander, Boyloaf,
•Asari-Dokubo
told Vanguard on the phone, "I condemn
the attack on Tompolo by Dokubo-Asari.
This is unacceptable and unexpected of a
leader in his caliber."
He said the example Dokubo-Asari
was setting for upcoming leaders with his
conduct was unbecoming, saying: 'I
support Tompolo, he is qualified for the
contract and Dokubo-Asari did not oppose
when somebody else from Edo state, the
late Capt Okunbo did a similar contract in
Rivers. His company still operates in
Rivers."
Ill-mannered
outburst —Omare,
ex-IYC president
Speaking on the quarrel, former
national president, Ijaw Youth Council,
IYC, Eric Omare, said, “Dokubo-Asari's
opposition to Tompolo having a
surveillance contract in Rivers State is
most unfortunate. It strikes at the
foundation of Ijaw nationalism. What is
all the Ijaw interest that Dokubo-Asari has
been fighting for over the years if he feels
that an Ijaw man cannot execute a
contract in Kalabari land when even
people from other ethnic groups such as
the late Capt Hosa Okunbo, a Bini man,
executed similar projects in the past
without opposition?
“This singular incident has exposed
Dokubo-Asari as not fit to present himself
as an Ijaw nationalist. Whether it can lead
to a breach of peace in the region, I do not
see any such threat. An individual’s desire
or failure to get a contract cannot lead to
the breakdown of law and order in the
Niger Delta region.
“To agree to such individual threats is
to lay a foundation for future misbehavior
by other stakeholders in the Niger Delta
region. No individual can use his personal
interest to override the collective interest
of the region,” Omare said.
Nothing wrong
with contract
—Sintei, ex-militant
leader
An ex-militant leader in Akwa Ibom
state, self-styled “General” Nikko Sintei,
and Coordinator of Gas Pipeline
Communities in Akwa Ibom, Kufre
Emmanson, cautioned Niger Deltans not
to see the pipeline surveillance contract
awarded to Tompolo by the Federal
government as an issue that would bring
disharmony among them.
Sintei said: "We are all from the Niger
We are all
from Niger
Delta. If
Dokubo got
the contract,
I'll not oppose
it.
Therefore,
for him to
oppose Tompolo
for the
contract is
not right
•Tompolo
Delta region. If Dokubo got the contract,
I will not oppose it. Therefore, for him to
oppose Tompolo for the contract is not
right. If he has a personal issue with
Tompolo, the best thing should not have
been for him to go on social media to
criticize Tompolo.
“And we in Akwa Ibom believe that now
that they have awarded the contract to
Tompolo, he will carry everybody along.
He has even advised us to join hands with
him to do the job, as he could not do it
alone. Therefore, I have not seen how he
has gone wrong for anyone to challenge
him, or say he has no right to secure the
contract.”
Outburst
condemnable
—Emmanson, pipeline
communities’ coordinator
On his part, Emmanson said: "Let us
support Tompolo. In Akwa Ibom state, we
will support nobody or the group kicking
against this contract secured by Tompolo.
We believe in his capacity to handle the
Surveillance job. Tompolo visited Akwa
Ibom sometime ago and consulted the
elders. For me, that means he is
accommodating and will carry everybody
along.”
Not surprised
—Bobo, ex-militant
leader
National chair, Third Phase Niger Delta
Ex Agitators, Tonye Bobo, who spoke in
Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said: "First, I
dislike criticizing our leaders but as you
must have noticed, there is always rivalry
among Niger Delta leaders, and Asari is
that type, if it is not him, then nobody. That
is the reason for his outburst.
“This is one of the major challenges we
were having with him right from his days
when he was the president of IYC
worldwide. Whatever thing he is not in
control of, that thing will not stand. He
would want to see how he can pull down
the roof of the building.
“Interestingly, in the case of Tompolo,
he came out publicly, invited the youths
and leaders, irrespective of whether he is
controlling their states, so long as you are
Niger Delta ex agitator, Kpofire operators,
among others, to come together and rub
minds on how we can secure the pipelines
and save our environment from further
despoliation.”
Respected
warlords should
not fight —Ekiye,
Ijaw elder
An Ijaw elder, Deacon Braeyi Ekiye,
from Bayelsa state, said: "There is a need
for them to understand themselves and
work in tandem to achieve set a
developmental goal in the Niger Delta.
We do not expect two warlords who are
cherished sons of this region to fight over
a pipeline surveillance contract project.”
Disregard
unwarranted
ranting
—Ozobo, IPDI
National President, Ijaw Peoples
Development Initiative, IPDI, - Niger-
Delta rights group, Austin Ozobo, who also
spoke to Vanguard, said: “I have carefully
followed the attacks of Dokubo-Asari
against Tompolo and my take is he is
wrong in his ill-mannered comments
against Tompolo.
“It is off-beam for Asari to view Tompolo
•Boyloaf
as an enemy. He should retrace his steps
because he (Asari) is disappointing the
Niger Delta region. Tompolo is open to
receiving any complaints and addressing
them with his brothers in the Niger Delta
region.
“The Tompolo I know would not have
acted the way Asari, my friend, is acting if
peradventure they awarded the
surveillance contract to Asari or any other
Niger Delta aboriginal contractor.”
Baseless outburst
—Ezekiel, SSA
Daniel Ezekiel, Senior Special
Assistant on Security Matters to Delta
State Governor, stated, “It is so unfortunate
that Dokubo-Asari has become the vessel
through which the Bible passage that says
a man's household shall be man’s greatest
enemy is coming to pass. Dokubo-Asari’s
outburst against Tompolo is not only
baseless but lacks merit.
“For seven years running now, the late
Captain Okunbo’s company, Ocean
Marines Solution, has been in charge of
this surveillance contract across the
length and breadth of Niger Delta region,
Dokubo-Asari did not for once kick
against this ‘oppressive reign’ that a Bini
man was in charge of 83km pipelines in
his Kalabari Kingdom.
“Even as we are talking, Ocean Marine
Solution, Captain Okunbo's company is
in charge of a large chunk of the current
surveillance contract in Rivers State with
a Niger-Delta supervising the place, yet,
Dokubo- Asari deliberately turned blind
eyes to outsiders, but dragged his own
brother in the mud.”
They should
dialogue —James,
peace envoy
Also speaking, Coordinator,
Association of Rural Chiefs for Peace and
Development, Alabo Nengi James, said:
"I do not think awarding contract to
Tompolo is wrong but given the strategic
geography of our Ijaw/Niger Delta
territory, it will be difficult for one person
to take it all. Because Asari is making his
grievances public, I will call for dialogue
between both parties. Though we do not
know how they awarded the contract, what
is important is that there should be
goodwill and togetherness in Ijaw land
and the Niger Delta.
“My earlier recommendation was that
they should not award the contract to
individuals, but to the communities so that
the communities will know who is
working in their domain. Giving it to one
or two persons is like making them lords
and that is an uproar. It is a power tussle."
This is bad
—Okubo, ex-militant
leader
Former militant leader, Robert Okubo,
in Edo state, said: “I think what all these
ex-agitators are doing is out of point, all
their agitations against the contract given
to Tompolo is out of point because this is
a contract that was in the past given to
people that pipelines did not even pass
through their areas.
“I do not see why our things are always
different; people are always working
against themselves in things like this. It
is bad, no matter the differences, I expect
every ex-agitator to queue behind
Tompolo because tomorrow can be your
turn, today, they gave to Tompolo and you
are going against it, what if tomorrow the
table turn and you are now given the
contract?”
Social Media Conversation
If so, Father forgive us!
Hmm, beware of his wrath ooo!
Raise the volume!
...And his God?
And you become a stranger...after!