7-day ultimatum: Presidency frets, sends Akpabio to beg Tompolo

Following several meetings aimed at persuading High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo to rescind his ultimatum to the FG to constitute a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has landed in Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu kingdom to further negotiate with the ex-Militant leader.

It would be recalled that the former leader of the Niger Delta agitators at the weekend issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari and Godswill Akpabio, to reconstitute the NDDC board or face a major breakdown of law and order in the Niger Delta.

He said the temporary reprieve from the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC’s) protest a few days ago is a child’s play when compared to what is to come in a few days.

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The ex-militant leader urged Buhari, members of the National Assembly and security agencies to work towards the constitution of the substantive board of the NDDC within a few days to avert a total breakdown of law and order that will equally affect crude oil exploration and exploitation activities in the region.

Tompolo had warned that failure to inaugurate a board for the commission would lead to the total shutdown of oil facilities in the region, which will in turn cripple the economy of the country.

He warned that the continuous undermining of the provisions in the establishing act of the NDDC under the guise of an endless forensic audit is evil, and should be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.

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“It is in itself an act of corruption as the people of the region have lost so much resources in the process of the so-called forensic audit,” Tompolo said.

“No one can tell the amount of money that has been spent by Senator Akpabio in pursuing this divisive agenda. It is obvious that there will be another forensic audit to investigate the activities of Senator Akpabio by the time he lets off the commission. This is disheartening and worrisome.

Akpabio who arrives in the kingdom on Thursday, will meet with Tompolo and other leaders in the Nigeria Delta on how to resolve the issue without degenerating into further crisis.

The former lawmaker was received by the Deputy Governor of Delta state, Barr Kingsley Otuaro and his younger brother, Chief Dennis Otuaro at the Osubi Airport, Warri en route to Oporoza.

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