Ex-militant leader Abraham Vwaghie has called on the Federal Government and Chief Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a Tompolo to negotiate Urhobo slot of the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tompolo with their foremost leader, Mayor of Urhoboland, Eshanekpe Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro, for equity.
The ex-militant, who is founder of Divine Bethel Bible Church Worldwide, spoke in Warri, Delta State.
He argued that Akpodoro had paid his dues in loyalty, foot-soldering and service delivery to the administration and should not be sidelined in distribution of surveillance contract awarded to selected former ex-militant leaders in Niger Delta.
Vwanghie, known as Father 1, noted that Akpodoro had been in the forefront of entrenching peace in the region, saying he should not be starved of the Federal Government patronage in security contract award having served the government in different capacities, including his involvement in disarmament of recalcitrant ex-militants at the declaration of Amnesty by the Federal Government.
Father 1 noted that Akpodoro had given his best in loyalty to the region nay, the government by standing tall in the face of crisis to foster and entrench peace in the region adding Akpodoro stemmed the notorious offensive during renewed insurgency by Niger Delta Avengers, (NDA).
According to him, denying Akpodoro a slot in distribution of surveillance contract was tantamount to underservedly relegating Urhobo nation to the background, stressing the people of Urhoboland deserved to be treated better.
‘’Akpodoro remains the best the people of Urhobo nation can trust with the security of oil and gas bearing pipelines within OML 30 and 34’’.
He advocated a community based security system where indigenous ex-militant leaders would be awarded surveillance contracts within their corridors for effective policing and security.
The Emmadja Udu-born Phase 2 ex-militant leader and cleric noted that the oil pipelines in Urhoboland outnumber that which obtains elsewhere in Delta, arguing the Otorogun gas plant till date remains the largest in Africa,
He wondered why indigenous leaders of such areas would be undermined in the award of contracts to secure national patrimony in their domain, saying, by every standard, the mayor of Urhoboland should be given the right of first refusal.
In same vein, the cleric called on Tompolo to see the contract as a job for all and be magnanimous in distributing same with those who were involved in Niger Delta struggle.
He said the mayor was one of the first large hearted people who congratulated him after he won the award and he should also extend olive branch to him by engaging the Gbaregolor Ughelli South-born in the security contract.
The cleric noted that Akpodoro worked with several organisations to who the contracts were awarded without remuneration but still surged on to ensure the security of oil facilities within Urhoboland.
The Federal Government, he said, should equitably distribute the contract among all, calling on the authority to right its wrongs by by calling Akpodoro for negotiation and possibly award him a portion of the surveillance contract.
“With his large followership among the youth population, Akpodoro can manage any portion of the pipeline that the government may award him. We trust him to do his best. We are too large to be undermined by any government, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration should right its wrongs.”
The ex-militant leader hoped Minister of State for Petroleum Timipre Sylva would do things right by conveying the concern of Urhobo nation to the President.