The Immediate Past President, IPP of National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG and National Publicity Secretary, Itsekiri Consultative Congress, Edema Collins Oritsetimeyin, has refuted reports that His Imperial Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, The Olu of Warri, owns Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, one of the three companies that were recently awarded the pipeline surveillance contract by Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited.
In a press statement released this afternoon, Sunday September 18 in Warri, Delta State, Edema, accused High Chief Government Ekpemupolo A.K.A Tompolo of trying to, “disparage the integrity and persona of the Warri Monarch, through various publications via Gbaramatu Voice, Blogs and his sponsored Militant group -the Creek Dragons”.
He asserted: “There were three Companies alleged by Gbaramatu Voice to have gotten the new Surveillance contract, but only one was mentioned; Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, just to divert attention from the current agitations of critical stakeholders on why a supposed ex-militant will be given such contract.
“The three Companies, that were awarded the pipeline surveillance contract are; TANTITA SECURITY SERVICES NIGERIA LIMITED, MATON ENGINEERING NIGERIA LIMITED, and PIPELINE INFRASTRUCTURE NIGERIA LIMITED.
“While TANTITA SECURITY SERVICES NIGERIA LIMITED is owned by Tompolo with Keston Pondi as one of the Directors, Maton Engineering Nigeria Limited is owned by Mathew Tonlagha (a foot soldier and strong Ally of Tompolo) Pipeline Infrastructure is not owned by His Imperial Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, but only has business interest in it”.
He purported that Tompolo, single handedly spearheaded a genocidal war against Warri Kingdom between 1997-2003, “due to greed and hatred for the Itsekiri people”.
The former NAIG President, who responded to series of media reports linking The Olu of Warri to over a hundred-billion-naira surveillance deal, added: “Tompolo despite claiming Amnesty with the defunct MEND, has been alleged to be involved in various Militant groups like the Niger Delta Avengers and recently, Creek Dragons. However, this has not stopped the NNPCL from awarding a pipeline surveillance contract to his company.
“The past few days has seen deliberate falsehood being perpetrated by the mouthpiece of Tompolo and his Gbaramatu Juju Priest King in the name of a supposed investigation by GbaramatuVoice Newspaper
“As against the much-publicized falsehood that His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III was awarded a Contract through Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, it is on record that the Revered Warri Monarch is neither a registered Director or Shareholder in Pipeline Infrastructure.
It is also a deliberate falsehood to state that the pipeline Infrastructure contracts covers up to Akwa Ibom, when it ends in Rivers State with the figures of N138B annually wrong.
“It is on record that His Imperial Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, has been a serial entrepreneur and this endeared him to his in-law.
“It is also on record that the Itsekiri people of Warri Kingdom own Oil Wells, spread across Ondo State, Edo State and Delta State, making Warri Kingdom, the kingdom with the highest quantum of crude Oil & Gas in the Nation.
“The Itsekiri People, have been rather too magnanimous to Tompolo and his King, despite the fact that it is on record that the people of Gbaramatu are customary Tenants to the Olu of Warri Kingdom, as declared in Suit No. W/30/1962 and Suit No. SC 294/1970.
“Proverbs 30:15-16: There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough! ‘ The grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water and fire, which never says, ‘Enough… Permit me to say the fifth thing that is never satisfied, is Tompolo.
“We wish to let Tompolo and his cohorts know that no amount of falsehood and character assassination on the persona of His Imperial Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, can deter him from his Mission to redefine the role of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria and bring Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Warri Kingdom.
“We hope that the Delta State Government, the NNPCL and the Federal Government, will do well to call Tompolo to other to avert any breakdown of law and order or hold Tompolo and his Gbaramatu King responsible, for any breakdown of law and order in the three Warri Local Government Areas or any other part of the Niger Delta”.
