A notable ex-militant leader and Mayor of Urhoboland, Eshanakpe Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro, has called on Tantita Security Services Nig Ltd, TSSNL and the federal government through the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL Mele Kyari, to revoke the oil pipelines security surveillance awarded to former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege by proxy through Zane Energy Limited.
Mayor Akpodoro stated this in a statement written, signed by him and issued in Abuja, Thursday.
He argued that Senator Omo-Agege is not rendering any security service but only collecting the contract award sum for selfish reasons.
He further stated that “the former lawmaker was unreservedly awarded the contract on account of being a politician whereas the act establishing the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP gives the ex-militants the right of first refusal in the award of such contract, adding that Omo-Agege got the contract through the back door.
The contract which ought to have been awarded to Urhobo ex-militants according to Akpodoro was what Omo-Agege allegedly ambushed in the guise of empowering the youths of Urhobo nation but without any visible service being rendered.
Such act, the Mayor argued further, is deceptive and that ground should be revoked and awarded to ex-militants like it was done in other ethnic groups where such contract was awarded to former warlords who he said have the expertise and wherewithal to handle such contract saying, at no time did the Senator was an ex-militant to warrant being given such job.
“Since the contract was awarded to Omo-Agege, he has no record of any Urhobo youth that he’s is paying. If in doubt, NNPCL should demand his payment voucher to any Urhobo son or daughter. There’s no visible person on behalf of Zane Energy that is carrying out any surveillance on the pipelines in Urhobo corridor of the Western axis of the oil pipelines.”
Akpodoro noted that it is evident that the politician was awarded the contract using his former office to armtwist the awarding authority for personal enrichment and not on behalf of Urhobo as he questioned his loyalty to the progressives who he said worked day and night to ensure that the All Progressives Congress, APC won the 2023 general elections.
The APC, in Delta state, he said, is an extension of the lawmakers estate, a reason he adduced to the party’s abysmal performance in the state.
While in the Senate, Akpodoro said, Omo-Agege was the lawmaker who represented the Delta Central Senatorial District, who also made himself the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 general elections.
This development, according to him, made the people to reject him at the polls noting that nothing can make Deltans vote him into power as governor.
Akpodoro said the contract when revoked, should be awarded to notable ex-militants from Urhobo nation and put paid to a winner takes all syndrome that was exuded by the former lawmaker while he held sway.
He said: “It is absurd to allow Zane Energy to remain the security surveillance contractor, Akpodoro said, stating that Nigeria needed sincere leaders who won’t lead themselves and members of their immediate family alone but for all and sundry, “this is lacking in the current contractor.”
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rejig the reward system and not toe the wrong path of the former administration which he said patronised members of the opposition parties and their in-house collaborators who sabotaged the policies and programmes of that government.
He noted that loyalty is key to any government as he questioned the faithfulness of the former lawmaker to the current administration.
Commending the Chief Government Ekpemukpolo a.k.a Tomopolo’s TTSNL efforts at ridding the Nigerian territorial waters of oil theft and sundry crimes, he noted that Omo-Agege’s Zane Energy is a liability on the entire contract and should be withdrawn for lacking in the capacity to protect the Urhobo axis of the oil pipelines.
