Pipeline surveillance: Ozobo carpets Akeredolu, Eselemo over attack on Tompolo, FG

The National President of the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI, Comrade Ozobo Austin has condemned the positions canvassed by the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, and Mr. Collins Eselemo over the 4 billion naira oil surveillance contract awarded to High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, and other four companies.

This was contained in a statement he made by himself in Warri, Delta state on Friday.

According to him, Ekeredolu and Eselemo spoke out of ignorance and were not acquainted with what is happening in the oil sector, and their attack on the federal government and Tompolo fell below expectation, adding that they are criticizing him (Tompolo) out of hate, envy, and greed.

“Maybe Ekeredolu was expecting that the job will be given to his kinsman, and because, that didn’t happen may have been the reason for his attack against the federal government and Tompolo.

“His argument of giving the job to security operatives to handle shows that he is not acquainted with the day- to day activities in the oil sector. Despite the security handling the protection of oil pipelines in the country, Nigeria is bleeding which is caused by the increasing rate of oil theft.

“It is worthy of note that since the beginning of the Buhari administration the pipeline surveillance contract has been handled by the military. But the government compared these two periods when it was handled by Tompolo and that of the military, and it showed that there was a steady flow of oil in the country when it was handled by Tompolo compared to now that it is being handled by the security.

“So the government decided to award the job to 5 private companies for which Tompolo is a stakeholder, to provide effective policing of the critical oil facilities of the country.

“This shows that the contract was awarded to involve Tompolo because he was found to be capable and qualified.

“Ekeredolu, should know that a job is a contract that can’t be handled by every dick, and harry, the security operatives have been tested but they failed. They collect bribes and also collaborate to increase the sabotage.

“However, I don’t want to join issues with Collins Eselemo because he always talks from both sides of his mouth. He is not a consistent person and can’t be trusted. I saw that his argument of Tompolo not being capable to do the job is borne out of party sentiment. It is complete propaganda, a campaign of calumny and mischief. His malicious statement has no bearing and it is concocted. He was expecting that being a member of APC, he should have been considered for the work. I feel his plight of being completely abandoned by his party. He is seeking attention and it wasn’t a surprise to me. Members of the public should disregard unfounded statements from people of questionable characters.” He added.