As Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori led administration in Delta State celebrates 100 Days in office with massive commissioning of projects, commuters plying the Obiaruku/Abraka Road in Ukwani and Ethiope East Local Government areas of the State have decried the deplorable condition of the road.

A visit to Obiaruku by our correspondent reviewed that the road, which is the major link road to Abraka, a renowned community where the first State University, Delta State University (DELSU) is located, was an ugly sight.

The road technically has been closed to vehicular movement, with a good number of broken or stocked up vehicles seen through the length of the road from the Obiaruku end.

In a chat, some of the commuters, mostly Parents and Students of the State University, they said it is disheartening for the Delta State Government to allow such an important road to degenerate terribly to an ugly condition where citizens are subjected to untold hardship.

“Honestly, I find it difficult to believe that our State Government, be it former or present, would pretend not to know the importance of this road to the generality of the People of this State. A link road that leads to a well-known University owned, by the State and admits over two thousand Students every year. This is the only road we know, this is the road we used often, to take our children to school, come and pick them back to our base, as we are doing now.

“It is very unfortunate that the government does not know how to prioritize, they are celebrating 100 days in office and yet they couldn’t fix an important road such as this in 100 days. That is insensitive and more of Man’s inhumanity to Man,” Dr. Ufuoma Oghenekevwe, a parent lamented.

On the ownership of the road by the Federal Government being the reason the Delta State Government has refused to take responsibility of fixing the road, the commuters said it would be gross irresponsibility for any Government to abrogate an urgent responsibility geared towards alleviating the sufferings of its citizens to another, more so when the State Government has the capacity to effect repairs, not even palliative repairs, just for the interest of the people of the state and for the very importance of the road to the people.

“Tinubu, Buhari or those in Abuja do not ply this road; it is me, our children and you that are in Delta State that ply this road every day. The Governor and those that he sits with in Council knows.

“The reason that it is the Federal Government’s responsibility to repair the road, is not tenable. Who are we calling now, is it not the State Government. Over 90% of commuters on this road do not know that it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to repair it and they don’t want to know. All they know is that this is Obiaruku and Abraka link road in Delta State and that the State Governor has the responsibility of alleviating their sufferings occasioned by the deplorable condition of the road,” Dr. Oghenekevwe said.

“We are grateful to the State Government and the Vice Chancellor for the infrastructure development in DELSU and the premium academic standard, but we are at a loss as to the reason the Government should allow us and our parents to suffer serious hardship as a result of this road. Please help us to reach out to them,” Nkechi Okolie, a year three Student of DELSU pleaded.

The commuters therefore, urged the State Governor, Rt Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, as a matter of urgency, direct for the immediate rehabilitation of the Obiaruku/Abraka road for the interest of the people of Delta State.

The Senator representing Delta South Senatorial District, Sen. Joel-Onowakpo Thomas has appealed to the President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria to prevail on the Chairman of the National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal Panel 3 sitting in Asaba, Delta State, to release the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Judgement on petition number EPT/DL/SEN/01/2023-Diden Michael & ANOR v INEC & ORS.

Sen. Joel-Onowakpo’s appeal is contained in a petition to the President of the Court of Appeal, Nigeria, signed by his Counsel, Robert Emukpoeruo SAN, of Summit Law Chambers, Solicitors & Advocates, titled, “Non-release of Judgement Delivered on 6th September, 2023 is in Petition No: EPT/DL/SEN/01/2023 – Diden Michael & ANOR v INEC & ORS.”

It would be recalled that the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba had ordered a rerun election in Warri South Local Government Area, which according to the judgement should within 90 days.

Sen. Joel-Onowakpo, said that the non release of the Certified True Copy of the judgement is impeding on his determination to challenge the ruling in an appeal, as he was not satisfied with the outcout of the tribunal, adding that he has not come to terms why the Chairman of the tribunal is not forthcoming with the CTC.

According to the petition, “We act as Counsel to Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas Ewomazino, the 2nd Respondent in the above petition and we have his instructions to bring to your Lordship’s attention the failure to release upon application the judgement of the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal Panel 3 sitting in Asaba in the aforesaid matter.

“On the 6th of September 2023, the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal,Holden in Asaba (Panel 3) delivered judgement in the above petition in which it ordered a rerun of the Delta South Senatorial District Election.

“We immediately applied for the Certified True Copy of the said judgement with a view to our client preparing and filing his notice and grounds appeal against the judgement. A copy of the duly acknowledged letter is herewith attached showing that our application was received on the 7th of September 2023.”

“Since the day of delivery of the judgement we have embarked on a daily pilgrimage to the Registrar of the Tribunal for the Certified True Copy of the judgement only to be met by the blunt statement of the Tribunal’s Secretary that the Chairman of the Tribunal has not yet released the judgement!

“Today the 11th day of September 2023 makes it the sixth(6th) day out of the constitutionally limited period of the sixty (60) days from the delivery of the judgement for the Court of Appeal to hear and determine our client’s appeal pursuant to the provisions of Section 285(7) of the 1999 Constitution and our client still does not have the judgement!

“In other that our client’s constitutionally guaranteed right of appeal is not truncated entirely and the Court of Appeal itself is not placed under an intolerable time constrain to hear and determine our proposed appeal we most humbly appeal to your noble Lord to prevail on or and direct the Chairman of the Tribunal aforesaid to immediately release the judgement delivered in the aforesaid matter.

The National Assembly and State Election Petition Tribunal holding in Asaba, Saturday, dismissed the case filed by EKPOTO EKPOTO EMMANUEL of the All Progressive Congress (APC) challenging the election of Rt. Hon. Thomas Ereyintomi on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 28, 2023 General Election.

The Chairman of the three man panel of the tribunal, Justice Catherine Ogunsola, who read the judgement while dismissing the case in Asaba said that the petitioner case lacks merit.

She also said that the petitioner failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.

The panel member further said that the evidence brought before the tribunal by the petitioner are not admissible in the eye of the law.

According to the Tribunal Judges “The Petitioners failed to call evidence unit by unit and ward by ward to establish malpractice in the election.

“The Petitioner in his pleadings did not demonstrate the discrepancy between the number of accredited voters, the lawful votes cast and how it affected the outcome of the election. Attempt to do this in his Written Address was of no moment.

“The alleged forgery of the 3rd Respondent’s NECO was not established as there is was disclaimer from the issuing authority. Besides, no mean could be inferred.”

Each and every relief in the petition as well as the petition itself were dismissed with cost of five hundred thousand naira (N500,000) against the petitioner in favour of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents.

Speaking to journalists, Counsel to the lawmaker, Robinson Arhiyo said: “It is victory for democracy and for the electorate, who voted massively for Rt. Hon. Thomas Ereyintomi during the election.”

INEC, on March 2, declared Thomas Ereyintomi, winner of the election having scored 20,155 votes to defeat his closest opponent Omatseye Young Piero of the Labour Party (LP), who pulled 9, 491 votes.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Thursday, inaugurated multi-billion naira projects at the Dennis Osadebay University, Anwai-Asaba, as part of activities to mark his first 100 days in office.

The Governor who also also commissioned 29 network of roads with 31.45 line drains around Madonna College road in Asaba and Okpanam areas of Oshimili South and Oshimili North Local Government Council areas of the state, blamed the abandonment of projects across the country on failure or refusal of political leaders to continue with projects started by their predecessors.

The projects inaugurated at the Dennis Osadebay University, Anwai-Asaba, include; 500 and double 250 seater auditoriums, faculty building and furnishing of Faculty of Agriculture, Administrative building; Vice-Chancellors lodge; gate entrance and main entrance access road at the University.

Speaking separately during the inauguration of the projects, initiated by the previous administration at the University, Governor Oborevwori noted that government was a continuum and it was the duty of successive administrations to continue and complete projects initiated by their predecessors for the collective good of the people.

He commended his predecessors in the state for continuing with projects they met while also executing new projects and particularly lauded the immediate past administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for initiating the projects.

Oborevwori said: “My joy knows no bounds as we commission this 500-seater Auditorium, two 250-seater Auditorium, building and furnishing of the Faculty of Agriculture, administrative building, main gate building, and internal roads in this citadel of learning.

“There are two reasons for my happiness today, first is that I promised Deltans in my inaugural speech that I will ensure that all ongoing projects embarked upon by the previous administration would be completed alongside new initiatives.

“Government is a continuum and it is the duty of successive administrations to put the resources of the state to good use by ensuring that projects are completed in a timely and prudent manner”.

He explained that “One of the reasons for abandoned projects in our country is because of the failure or refusal of political leaders to continue with projects started by their predecessors.

“And this is usually informed by the fear that their predecessors will get the credit. However, this should not be the case if the focus of the leader is on the collective good of all.

“I am proud to say that in Delta State, we have had a history of successive governors building on the legacies of their predecessors. It is my honour and privilege to continue with that noble tradition as I give credit to the immediate past Governor of the state, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for his vision and foresight in initiating these projects.”

While underscoring the importance of education to the growth, development and advancement of modern society, Governor Oborevwori assured that his administration would continue to give moral and institutional support for the development of the three new universities.

“The second reason for my joy is that the completion of these projects underscores our commitment to the educational advancement of our people.

“Education and knowledge are two cornerstones of progress in any modern society. The emplacement of skilled and professional competencies for all the citizens and residents of the state is one of the priorities of this administration.

“It is also gratifying to note that enrollment into the university has continued to grow. This is undeniable proof that the decision to establish this university and two others in Ozoro and Agbor is justified.

“Our people are eager for quality education and we are glad that we have provided more opportunities for them to actualize their dreams.

“This administration shall continue to give the necessary moral and institutional support necessary to transform these institutions to centres of excellence in terms of their overall outlook and scholarship potentials”, he said.

The elated Governor, challenged the University authority to prioritise curriculum development and innovation to make graduates meet up with challenging technological trends.

Governor Oborevwori said: “I implore the Governing Council and the Board of the university to prioritise curriculum development and innovation.

“In a time of rapid economic and technological change, the challenge is to develop courses and programmes that will enable the graduates to forge the strongest career paths, learn new skills, solve real world business problems, and develop the abilities and expertise to be in tune with global trends.

“This calls for hands-on and work-integrated learning as a direct response to the demand for professionals with market-relevant skills.

“Graduates from our universities must be well equipped with business knowledge and competencies in critical thinking, interpersonal skills, communication, ability to work in teams, entrepreneurial skills, as well as self, social, and ethical awareness”.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Nyerhovwo Tonukari commended the Governor for transforming a bush into a citadel of learning with seven faculties and 40 programmes to cater for the growing population of the state.

Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Benjamin Oghojafor in his welcome address, said the establishment of the three new Universities was born out of the need to grant more access to higher education for Deltans, adding that the university was already filling the gap by providing excellent skills in various areas of learning to curb the high rate of unemployment in the country.

He said the university’s academic programmes were one of the most sought after in the state, pointing out that they were in talks with the NUC to increase the school’s admission quota.

Earlier at the road and erosion control inauguration, Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze said that the completion of the project was a great relief to people of the area who had been plagued by massive flooding and erosion challenges.

Chairman Oshimili South Local Government Council, Dr Kelvin Ezenyili and his Oshimili North counterpart, Hon. Innocent Eseweze commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for consolidating on the achievements of the past administration in completing ongoing projects across the two local government areas.

They pledged the support and cooperation of the people of Oshimili South and North to the administration’s M.O.R.E Agenda.

The State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, his deputy, Rt. Hon. Arthur Akpowowo, Secretary to the Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, Commissioners, traditional rulers and other top government functionaries attended the ceremonies.

By Felix Evwihor

The implementation of the “MORE Agenda” of the Delta State Governor, His Excellency, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has been described as a speedy course by Chief Akpufuoma Pemu.

The MORE Agenda according to the governor during his campaign includes; meaningful development, opportunities for all youths, realistic reforms, enhanced peace and security.

Pemu who is a member of the State Civil Service Commission (CSC) and Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated this in a chat with newsmen in Asaba.

According to him, the governor has hit the ground running with the continuation of the multitude of projects that were started by his predecessor in office.

He said that within the period, the governor granted 40bn to pay part of the pension arrears owed by the 25 Local Government Council and subsequently approved recruitment of primary school teachers in 23 LGA out of the 25 in the state.

He also mentioned the approval of N10000 for public servants to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal and 5bn to defray the cumulative arrears owed by the state government.

He added that most recently the governor removed the embargo of public servants not rising to level 17 due to lack of stagnation.

Pemu also said that the governor’s inaugurated executive council comprised mainly of youths to drive the MORE agenda of his administration.

He also mentioned his quick response to the need to extend the palliatives to other Deltans and the impending flood by proactively inaugurating two committees respectively.

Pemu also mentioned that the governor has courageously demolished buildings on water ways, tarred several roads and still tarring others in various parts of the state to bring meaningful development to Deltans.

“He has always listen to the yearning of Deltans and has positively responded to them”.

“I urged every Deltan to give the governor every necessary support so as to effectively deliver on his campaign promises”, Pemu stated.

Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, a company owned by a former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, (aka Tompolo) fighting crude oil thieves in the oil rich Niger Niger Region oil, on Friday, September 1st, 2023, hit the Nigerian Navy very hard for abandoning their statutory duties and urged the Navy to stop the blackmail, harassment of Tantita security men and the misinformation of the general public.

Tantita Security Service Nigeria Limited made it clear in a statement on Friday that its men were never involved in crude oil theft as alleged by the Nigerian Navy.

The statement dated 1st September, 2023 and entitled; THE ARREST OF TANTITA OPERATIVES AND PARADE BY THE NIGERIAN NAVY – A TRAGICOMEDY OF ERRORS, read thus:

Yesterday the 31st of August 2023 the world woke up to a news story credited to the Commander, NNS BEECROFT of the Nigeria Navy, Commodore Kolawole Olumide Oguntuga, that the Nigerian Navy arrested four Tantita personnel for alleged crude oil theft. It would have been comedy, if it was not also tragedy.

The Navy is a constitutional institution mandated to keep Nigeria’s seaward borders safe from invasion, criminality and free for economic activities. Tantita respects the institution and its constitutional mandate. And it was out of that respect that a couple of weeks ago when there was a face off between the service and Tantita over the MT Praisel, our organisation preferred to leave the Nigerian Navy to have the last word on the issue. It was our belief at the time that the matter was a misunderstanding which could have been better handled for the good of the nation and the common objective of Tantita and the Navy – the prevention of economic sabotage by oil thieves plying their nefarious trade on our nation’s waterways.

However the present incident, coming barely three weeks after, does not seem to support that notion. What seems to be playing is a poorly written tragicomedy. The Nigerian Navy’s story is that in the early hours of August 29, 2023 there was an attempt by Tantita operatives to steal crude which they foiled. They claim to have been responding to distress calls from youths in Itolou Community in the Lekki axis of Lagos, and “reviewing the information, Naval patrol teams immediately launched a response operation. Upon arrival at the scene, the Naval team met 4 individuals dressed in black polo shirts with TANTITA inscribed on the back, trying to recover a dismantled outboard engine from a local. The team recovered the engine and apprehended the 4 Tantita Employees.”

According to the Nigerian Navy’s statement, “It was after this arrest that the patrol team realized that the 4 individuals are part of a movement of a large wooden boat laden with 11 x 1000L Geepee tanks with product suspected to be stolen crude oil.”

So it would be seen that at the time of the arrest, the only crime that the Tantita operatives were alleged to have committed was trying to recover a dismantled outboard engine. Thus, recovering outboard engines is now a crime. More interesting is the absence of a link between the outboard engine recovery story and the sudden epiphany – the realization by the navy patrol team that the four individuals they arrested are part of a movement of a large wooden boat at sea carrying stolen crude oil. The disjoint in the story is jarring.

On the other hand, this is what happened in fact. On Monday the 28th of August 2023 at about 0130hours a Tantita Security Services Patrol team operating in the Ondo State area received credible intelligence that a motorised wooden boat was illegally loading crude oil from an Offshore Oil Well Jacket – in fact the same Well Jacket in OML 110 operated by Cavendish Petroleum Nigeria Limited, where the MT TURA II was caught stealing Crude Oil a few months ago.

An advance team was dispatched to find the wooden boat while a back up team consisting of Nigeria Civil Defence and Security Corps (NSCDC) component of the Government Security Agencies (GSA) was assembled to follow through on the lead. While we cannot name the NSCDC personnel for obvious reasons, they were six in number and our personnel were eight not four in number. The advance team with the help of local fisherfolk was able to determine that the motorised wooden boat was heading in the direction of Lagos and gave hot pursuit. Upon noticing the approaching Tantita teams the crew of the motorised wooden boat abandoned the wooden boat for their speed boat. One team of Tantita and NSCDC personnel boarded the wooden boat to secure the evidence while another team gave it a hot pursuit.

There is video evidence of the Tantita team together with NSCDC personnel coming alongside the wooden boat, boarding and attempting to secure the boat.

The video also shows the Tantita crew trying to secure the wooden boat which was taking in water (this could have resulted from an attempt to scuttle the boat by the escaping crew; anyone who understands Yoruba can listen in on the conversations).

Surprisingly the escaping crew of the motorised wooden boat fled in the direction of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operation Base at Ibeju-Lekki, so the Tantita and NSCDC personnel followed in hot pursuit believing that the criminals would meet their Waterloo there. They were wrong. Instead of the fleeing crew being arrested, it was the Tantita personnel who came down to apprehend the fleeing crew that was arrested. After arresting Tantita personnel and freeing the crew, the Nigerian Navy personnel then went to the motorised wooden boat and drove out the combined Tantita/GSA team trying to keep the boat and the evidence afloat.

The Nigerian Navy press release was nothing but a smear campaign, the Navy has been sharing pictures in social media of the Tantita staff in their custody in various shades of undress but kept silent about the names of the boat crew whom they were chasing? In short, where is the crew that the Tantita personnel chased into Ibeju Lekki?

Most importantly, where is the boat now? You can clearly see the boat in the video provided below. Did the Nigerian Navy secure the boat? Can the Nigerian Navy explain the whereabouts of the motorised wooden boat? They were the last seen with the boat.

Nigerians can see why we are forced to say that the Nigerian Navy’s press release was nothing but a smear campaign against Tantita and possibly a cover up. Is it possible that the Nigerian Navy deploys costly assets in these days of expensive petrol/diesel to respond communal distress calls involving commercial disputes as to ownership of outboard engines? Again, let us assume for the sake of argument that the distress call was with respect to shooting in Itolou community in Lekki area of Lagos State, what became of that investigation? Can the Navy tell the nation, after four days of investigation, who was shooting?

The time frames here are important. Tantita patrol team took off at 0130hrs (1:30 at night) on Monday 28th August 2023, and spotted the wooden boat at approximately 1400hours (2 in the afternoon) same Monday 28th August 2023 and were arrested by the Navy a few hours later on Monday 28th of August 2023. Why then did the Navy press release say it arrested Tantita personnel on Tuesday 29th August 2023? Why is the Navy saying it arrested 4 persons when in fact it arrested 5?

The Nigerian Navy is quite good at publicising videos of their personnel boarding vessels suspected of conveying illicit crude and refined products. Where is the Navy’s video of boarding this wooden boat and arresting the Tantita personnel? How do you arrest oil thieves you claimed were using a wooden boat to steal crude oil, on land? If indeed Tantita personnel were stealing crude with a boat, why did they need to abandon their wooden boat laden with crude oil, tens of nautical miles away from the crime scene to recover a dismantled outboard engine when the wooden boat had working engines? There are too many gaps in the Navy press release.

In one breathe the Nigerian Navy is saying Tantita employees were caught trying to steal an outboard engine and in another breathe they are saying the Tantita operatives were arrested for trying to forcibly employ the owner of the boat to do their bidding. Quite interesting.

The arrest for four days and parade of Tantita staff by the Nigerian Navy as common criminals is to be deprecated by all right thinking members of society; at a time when our nation is in dire straits with the unparalleled loss of revenue from a monocultural export-based economy, these family men put their lives at risk for the good of the nation and are now being made to suffer ridicule for doing the right thing. It serves to demoralise good men everywhere who have sought and are seeking to do something to better our nation.

As soon as these men were arrested the management of Tantita reached out to the Nigerian Navy seeking clarification of the situation, for four days the Navy said they were investigating and that the men would be released. We now have the outcome of their investigation in that poorly digested press release.

There are even more damning revelations, which out of courtesy to the Navy hierarchy and the needs of national security we will not divulge on the pages of a newspaper. The continued detention by the Nigerian Navy of these five brave, selfless Nigerians who risked their lives on the high seas to protect our commonwealth is a disservice to our nation.

Signed

Management Tantita Security,
Services Nigeria Limited.