Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo has given the Federal Government of Nigeria a seven-day ultimatum to inaugurate a governing council for the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. Tompolo's call for a governing council for the region has seen some other youths convey and protest this new development.
This may cause unrest in the region and the return of the Niger-Delta militants and adverse effects affect the Nigerian economy. Tompolo was the leader of the militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, when it was still active, causing insurgency around the region. Tompolo is said to own warships and a priest. Why many fear Tompolo to cause unrest if he means business.
On Thursday, some youths from Urhobo also marched down to the Delta office of the Niger Delta Development Commission, in Warri, in support of Tompolo's earlier warning. This comes after five days of Tompolo's warning.
The President of the Urhobo youths, Efemena Umukoro, cited that appointing a sole administrator over the region is not right. Also, he is calling for the removal of the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, the former Governor of Akwa-Ibom and his administration should be looked into. Saying Akpabio's administration has brought no good to the region.
Umokoro also said, "We are saying enough is enough. We are saying that one man cannot trade with the interests of the entire region. This is not about Urhobo, but about the entire Niger Delta region. One man cannot be the EDP. One man cannot be the Executive Director. One man cannot be the MD. We are saying no. We are saying this for fairness, equity, and justice.
"We are saying that President Muhammadu Buhari’s Federal Government should inaugurate the substantive board.
"As a Niger Delta person and as the Urhobo Progress Union Youth President, I am standing with all other ethnic presidents in the region and we are saying President Muhammadu Buhari, your government came up to fight corruption. Please fight corruption for us and inaugurate a substantive board for us.
"We don’t want the creeks or the militants to strike anymore. We want peace in the Niger Delta. We are against violence as a people. But when justice is traded, the people go violent. We do not want to go violent.
“We are appealing to the Federal Government that enough is enough. We are equally calling for the sack of Akpabio. He has done more harm to us than good."
In the rise of these events, the minister is said to be visiting Tompolo, at his Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom country home in Delta State, to plead with him to go back on his threats. Tompolo had on Sunday threatened the Federal Government on the issue of the NDDC.
It could be recalled when the Senate tried to probe the former NDDC boss, last year June, drama ensued as the NDDC acting MD, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei collapsed in the middle of the probing after being questioned about his administration.