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From Joseph Obukata, Warri
The group, Centre for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (CHURAC), has taken a swipe at Lagos-based fiery activist, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor over her tirades towards High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo.
CHURAC’s Chairman Board of Trustees, Cleric E. Alaowei, Esq., in a statement on Tuesday, said that Lori-Ogbebor has no moral rectitude to lopsidedly call for the revocation of the contract awarded to Tompolo who is a free citizen like others.
There had been discontent tunes in some part of the Niger Delta region over the pipeline surveillance job offered to Tompolo.
Alaowei said that if Lori-Ogbebor is head bent on kicking against Tompolo’s share of the contract, she should also opposed Olu of Warri who is also a private individual like Tompolo and was also awarded the pipeline surveillance contract.
A statement by Alaowei reads; “With the barrage of oppositions swelling up against the oil pipeline surveillance contract awarded to High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo by some disillusioned Nigerians, we expect the least of such tirades from the person of Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor who’s from the Warri Federal Constituency like Tompolo.
“We do not know if Chief Rita’s inveigh is a sheerd covetousness to what her brother secured from the Federal Government.
“If Chief Rita felt it’s not advisable for the NNPC Limited to award an oil pipeline surveillance contract to private individuals then she should start calling for the revocation of the same contract awarded to Ocean Marine Company owned by the late Captain Hosa Okunbor which is now being handled by the revered Olu of Warri.
“Chief Lori who has suddenly become vocal in her opposition to the contract should not forget that the same contract is awarded to the Olu of Warri who is also a private individual like Tompolo. We await to hear from her by calling on the FG to revoke all the contracts awarded to private individuals.
“We make bold to say that Rita Lori-Ogbebor has no moral rectitude to lopsidedly call for the revocation of the contract awarded to Tompolo who is a free citizen like others. There’s no security threats anywhere in the Niger Delta over the award of the contract to Tompolo or any other person. In fact, President Buhari has just done the noble thing by granting one of the sixteen point demands of PANDEF.
“It would have been the other way round if the FG refused to carry the Niger Delta people along in the oil exploratory activities. Of course the Petroleum Industry Act has placed a duty on the host communities to guide the pipelines in their domains for them to benefit from the paltry 3% operational cost of the settlors. We’re happy that Tompolo has used the contract to come to the rescue of the host communities by employing willing youths within his areas of operation to help protect the oil pipelines.
“What will be more beneficial to the NNPC Limited and the IOCs if not these laudable gestures taken by Tompolo? Not everybody this contract is being awarded to has taken the initiative the former freedom fighter is taking. He deserved to be commended by all well meaning Nigerians”.
Meanwhile, Alaowei, has appealed to Alhaji Asari-Dokubo to join ranks with his brother, Tompolo to ensure that the latter successfully executes the contract, urging him to approach NNPC if “he needs the contract, and bid for it too”.
“We believe there are pipelines and the NNPC Limited still needs private-support surveillance. Asari-Dokubo as a critical stakeholder in the Niger Delta is eminently qualified to handle the job. He should just approach the NNPC Limited like what Tompolo did to have his own portion of the contract”, Alaowei said.
