Ex-militant Ekpemupolo, (alias Tompolo) has denied any
involvement in the $16 billion Export Processing Zone (EPZ)
project crisis rocking Delta State. In a bid to clear himself of
any wrong doing, Tompolo released a statement today
where he accused the current Delta state governor,
Emmanuel Uduaghan and his predecessor, Jame Ibori of
trying to use the project to collect the land belonging to his
people, the Ijaws of Gbaramatu kingdom.
He also accused human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo of
being used to blackmail his person. See the long statement
after the cut...
RE: DELTA EPZ AND MATTERS ARISING
MY TAKE IS ON JUSTICE, EQUITY AND FAIRNESS
So much has been said about the $16 Billion Export
Processing Zone (EPZ) which is meant to galvanize
Nigeria’s economic growth through adequate gas
processing and supply, using our dear Delta State as the
hub. For one, I am happy as a Deltan that this laudable
project is being planned and nurtured in my time, especially
on the heels of our fight for the need by government to
industrialize and enhance our economic well-being in the
oil-rich Niger Delta Region.
Nonetheless, I am not persuaded by the nebulous and
loudly-echoed ‘economic and industrial gains’ slogan being
orchestrated by some forces hiding under the EPZ Project
to re-launch a back-door move for the acquisition of lands
belonging to the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri
South-West Local Government Area of Delta State. In this
regard, I stand on the side of my people as I have always
done, to ensure that the voice of reason was raised and
heard by the powers that be. As a peace-loving Kingdom,
the people of Gbaramatu had used all civil and legal means
to ensure that justice was done by the federal government
by not going ahead with the planned ground-breaking
ceremony in the face of clear injustice, unfairness and
inequity.
As a result, many insinuations and perverted comments
have been made by both interested and rented parties to the
effect that ethnic colourations have been brought to the fore
by linking the justifiable postponement of the ground-
breaking to President Goodluck Jonathan’s ‘soft-spot’ for
the Ijaws of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
It should be noted however, that the struggle of the people
Gbaramatu Kingdom for both political and economic rights
pre-dates the Jonathan Presidency. History is replete with
courses of events as far as the struggle of the oppressed
people of Gbaramatu Kingdom is concerned. It is no longer
news to all that our Itsekiri neighbours, using all
advantages of being in government and power since the
time of former governor, Chief James Ibori(whose mother
is Itsekiri) as well as the incumbent governor, Dr Emmanuel
Uduaghan(also an Itsekiri) who both as commissioner and
later Secretary to State Government under Ibori, cannot
insulate himself from the calculated attempt by the
government-backed Itsekiri’s attempts to enslave
Gbaramatu Kingdom.
It should therefore be placed on record that if the belief of
the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom in their just and fair
struggle saw them through thick and thin since the time of
Ibori till date, the same spirit still lives on; and such does
not need the ‘soft spot’ of a Nigerian President of Ijaw
extraction to take the people to their rightful place. It was
(still) this belief in a just and fair struggle that in spite of
glaring attempts by both Ibori (then) and Uduaughan (now)
to exterminate the Gbaramatu Kingdom to the advantage of
their kinsmen, I made conscious efforts to respect the
institution they represent. In essence, I refrained from
abusing their persons as some Itsekiri leaders have
mindlessly done in the case of the postponement of the
ground-breaking ceremony by the President.
Perhaps, it is unfortunate to note that all those Itsekiri
leaders, especially Pa J.O. Ayomike who betrayed
uncontrollable and misplaced sentiments by abusing the
person of the president and calling for his resignation would
have achieved better things and indeed, much development
would have come to their impoverished Itsekiri villages if
such energy was deployed to ginger their son, who is now
governor, to bring development to their areas. The
Ayomikes of this world should rather be expressing worry
and bury their heads in shame that the over 12 years of
their sons in government and power in Delta State are more
of curses than blessings to their people. The case of those
vilifying President Jonathan is that of bottled-up anger and
transferred aggression ordinarily targeted at those who
looked the other way in the face of the sufferings of their
people to a man who tried to do justice by listening to all
sides of an issue.
What Does Festus Keyamo Want?
This question has become imperative in view of the rented
roles the Lagos-based Lawyer has played in the last couple
of weeks in the affairs of the state especially as they relate
to the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West
Local Government Area of Delta State. Before now, I had
seen Keyamo as a young promising lawyer whose passion
to fight oppression was unquenchable. I see him as a
brother and friend because there is still time for him to
stratify rented and commercialized struggle from
passionate human and civil rights crusade.
As a matter of fact, Keyamo’s continuous linkage with me
to purported attempts close crime is unacceptable to me. At
best, Keyamo knows too well that those whose flair for
injustice I fight against, those who have been severally
linked to murders in Delta State who today are his latter-day
friends, are not men of conscience. As a human rights
lawyer (as claimed by Keyamo), his efforts to unearth the
killers of Onokpite Ogbe were applauded by many, including
me. I was even tempted to disbelieve others when
accusations of ‘unpalatable practices’ trailed Keyamo’s
sudden u-turn to abandon the Onokpite’s case. But today, I
have no reason to disbelieve such against the backdrop of
Keyamo’s role in the orchestrated EPZ Crisis. In the face of
Keyamo’s sudden u-turn in character, it is absurd to ask
him if would have not have done what I did on behalf of my
people should he find himself in my shoes. I therefore find
very curious Keyamo’s attempt to demonize me especially
when it is obvious that since I willingly embraced the
Federal Government Amnesty offer, I have selflessly, at
high risks too, contributed to the enhancement of peace and
security in the entire Niger-Delta Region. I will therefore
urge Keyamo to be on the side of truth and justice rather
than being on the side of injustice because conscience is an
open wound, only the truth can heal it.
Conclusion:
My appeal to all men of conscience is to ensure that justice
and fairness are made the cornerstone of human existence.
Where these do not exist, it will be difficult for society to
make progress. The case of the plight of the people of
Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government
Area of Delta is clear and unambiguous. The precepts for
injustice and ingredients of inequality are daily being
planted by those who find themselves in positions of
authority and influence, especially in Delta State.
It should therefore be known that those who deliberately
drag the name of President Jonathan into this blackmail
game are doing this to perpetuate injustice. This is the crux
of the matter. But little do they know that the struggle has
been an age-long one, predating the president’s
ascendancy to office and through the will of God, my people
have been forging ahead. In the same vein, the struggle
might also post-date President Jonathan unless the issues
of injustice that have continually set the Gbaramatu and
Itsekiri ethnic nationalities against each are permanently
resolved. The Gabramatu people cannot be intimidated by
any resort to blackmail, using ethnic cards. Similarly, I will
not succumb to any cheap blackmail aimed at weakening
my resolve to fight for my people because this is a matter
of conscience and posterity. I shall not waiver even in the
face of threat and intimidation of all sorts until justice is
done.
Thanks and God bless,
SIGNED:
HIGH CHIEF GOVERNMENT EKPEMUPOLO
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