ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Chief Edwin Clark, the leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum has supported the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to the former militant leader, Government Ekpemepulo, popularly known as Tompolo.
According to him, there is nothing wrong with it.
The Federal Government had last month, announced the award of a N48 billion contract to the ex-militant to monitor pipelines, to check the menace of oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
The development had since received mixed reactions among Nigerians.
Reacting to the development, the elder statesman in a statement on Sunday, warned Nigerians against interfering in the activities of the oil-rich region.
He said there should be no further bickering and disorder in any part of the Niger Delta to enable the people focus on the big picture of sustainable development.
“The unpatriotic elements should realize that there is nothing wrong in awarding contracts to any capable Niger Deltan, especially to protect oil and gas assets that are situated in their backyards,” he said
“Similar contracts have been awarded in the past to individuals, I do not understand, therefore, why the Tompolo case is made to look as if it is the only one.
“The beneficiaries of the contract are bonafide sons of the Niger Delta, who are committed to the peace and stability of the region and the country.”
Clark further expressed satisfaction with the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, in the manner he handled the tension generated over the awarded pipeline surveillance contract to Tompolo.
Governor Diri and the leadership of the Ijaw National Congress jointly resolved the disagreement among Ijaw sons over the oil pipeline surveillance contract.
Diri convened a peace meeting to settle the feuding parties. Governor Diri presided over the parley alongside the President of the INC, Prof Benjamin Okaba, in Yenagoa over the weekend.
The meeting also constituted a five-member monitoring committee to follow up on the successes of the parley in the interest of peace, unity and stability of the Ijaw nation and indeed the Niger Delta, Channels TV reports.