The Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI, has labeled Chief Rita-Ogbebor, a hypocrite over her calls for the revocation of the surveillance contract awarded to High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
The group also described the Itsekiri chief as well-known enemy of the Delta State and Niger Delta region, adding that she should be ignored by Nigerians.
It would be recalled that Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor had in a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, called for the revocation of the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to High Chief Tompolo on the basis that awarding such contract to one individual is an invitation to anarchy in the Niger Delta region.
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The statement signed by the IPDI National President, Comrade Ozobo Austin, reads;
“Chief Lori-Ogbebor thereby joined voice with Alhaji Asari Dokubo in calling for the revocation of the contract because Tompolo is the sole surveillance contractor which is mischievous and provocative.
“IPDI, having studied Chief Ogbebor’s statement wishes to state that the statement did not come as a surprise because Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor is a well-known enemy of the Warri area, Delta State and the Niger Delta region as a whole.
“It is on record that Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor has opposed every effort to attract development and positive appointments to the Warri area, Delta State and the Niger Delta region in general.
The following are some of the sins of Chief Lori-Ogbebor against the people in the Warri area, Delta State and the Niger Delta region which tell Nigerians her true nature.
“i. It is on record that Chief Lori-Ogbebor is one of the mischievous voices in opposing the choice of Warri as capital of Delta State in the days leading to the creation of the state. As a result of the opposition to the choice of Warri as capital of Delta State which Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor championed, Warri lost the Delta State capital to Asaba and today the effect is been felt by all stakeholders in Warri. Warri is presently not better than a slump instead of being one of the fastest growing cities like Port Harcourt, all due to Chief Ogbebor’s misdeeds against Warri.
“ii. Again recently, a son of Warri, Chief Bernard Okumagba was appointed the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Ordinarily such appointments are usually applauded by people close to the appointee and people from his place of origin because of the positive developments that comes with such appointments.
However, that was not to be the case as Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor in her usually manner joined hands with people from outside Delta State who were opposed to the appointment of Chief Okumagba and took him to court to stop his inauguration after clearance by the National Assembly.
Following the connivance of Chief Ogbebor and her cronies, Chief Okumagba and his board members of the NDDC have not been inaugurated up till date.
Flowing from the foregoing, it is no surprising that Chief Lori-Ogbebor has gone to Abuja to team up with those opposed to Chief Tompolo’s contract like Asari Dokubo to call for the revocation of the contract.
“Chief Tompolo, just like Lori-Ogbebor is from the Warri area, but in her usual manner, she cannot sleep well once people from her Warri neighbourhood are doing well.
“It is Chief Lori-Ogbebor’s stock in trade to oppose anything that has to do with her neighbouring ethnic groups as an ethnic chauvinist. If not ethnic extremism, why will Chief Ogbebor call for the revocation of Tompolo’s contract on the basis that he is an individual but has not call for the revocation of the Olu of Warri, her traditional ruler’s surveillance contract.
“Just as the NNPC awarded a surveillance contract to Chief Tompolo, it also awarded a new surveillance contract to the Olu of Warri.
“It is on record that the Olu of Warri has being in charge of the surveillance contract of oil pipelines in Delta State since 2016 and has just been awarded the pipeline surveillance of Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.
“Why has Chief Ogbebor not called for the revocation of that contract if she is not an ethnic extremist?
“Chief Ogbebor’s call for the revocation of Tompolo’s contract is nothing but her usual display of hatred against her ethnic neighbours. She is nothing but an ethnic extremist who has no business in modern world.”
IPDI urged the NNPC and the Federal Government to totally ignore Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, adding that she is neither a Niger Delta Activist nor a leader in the region.
It stressed that;
“Rita Lori-Ogbebor neither lives in the Niger Delta region to feel the devasting effect of the activities of oil theft nor has any stake in the region by way of investments.
“All Rita Lori-Ogbebor’s investments are in Abuja and Lagos from where she addressed press conferences from time to time to promote her selfish interest at the expense of the ordinary Itsekiri people she claims to be fighting for.
“Let her go and invest in rural Itsekiri communities like Ogheye and Ebrohimi to develop the communities like Chief Tompolo did with Kurutie, if she loves her people.
“Niger Deltans from across the Nine states of the region have wholeheartedly embraced the award of the surveillance contract to Tompolo and are ready to work with him. This is evidence in the thousands of people have paid solidarity and consultative visits to him at Oporoza, Delta State.
“The fact that Tompolo has the capacity to deliver on this very sensitive national assignment is not in doubt and key stakeholders are all behind him to stopped the environmental genocide in the Niger Delta region, increase the nation’s oil production and protect the environment, the group asserted.”
The group, however, expressed confidence that Tompolo’s surveillance contract would lead to employment of thousands of youths which in turn would address restiveness in the region, maintaining that it must be supported by all well-meaning Niger Deltans.
