The Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, has condemned the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, for calling for a pipeline security contract to be shared.
Fubara had reportedly told a high-powered Federal Government delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, that “Security of pipeline should not be given to one man or one person. How can someone from Kalabari be controlling the pipeline in Ogoni?”
However, Kachikwu in a reaction to the comments of the Governor in Abuja, wondered how a governor of Fubara’s calibre could descend low as to mistake a company for “one man.”
He urged Fubara to create and award contracts to ex-militants in his domain if he is not comfortable with what the Federal Government has done by identifying a competent and trusted security firm like Tantita to provide additional layer of security for the nation’s oil assets.
Kachikwu said: “Frankly, I am astonished that Governor Fubara made such an ignorant statement.
“He is the Governor of a state that is one of the leading states in crude oil theft and illegal refining activities.
“One would have expected that the gains the Federal Government and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) are making through the partnership with Tantita and other security agencies would be applauded by him like all well-meaning Nigerians are doing but there he was talking about contract being awarded to one man.
“Did the Federal Government award the pipeline contract to a man or a company? This approach of let us share contracts for the boys must stop.
“If the Governor is so interested in contracts being awarded to former militants he can create and award contracts to those of them in his domain. After all, he is the governor. He can do what he likes.
“What is now clear to all Nigerians is that the Federal Government means business in its war against crude oil theft, and they are only working with trusted partners who they know won’t compromise.
“We must all support this effort and not reduce this to our usual comedy routine.”
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