Vacate oil facilities – Warri leaders tell protesters as Tinubu orders power-sharing deal

Leaders of the Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities in the Warri federal constituency of Delta state have called on aggrieved youths, women and other stakeholders protesting the delineation exercise to vacate all oil and gas facilities.

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by Godspower Gbenekama, Olorogun Victor Okumagba, Alaowei Denbo-Denbofa Oweikpodor, and Westham Adehor, the ethnic leaders said President Bola Tinubu has addressed concerns raised by the protesters over recent delineation exercise in Warri federal constituency. 

Aggrieved women, youths and other stakeholders in the constituency have been protesting at oil facilities and other locations since Monday.

According to the statement, the rising tensions prompted the intervention of Sheriff Oborevwori, governor of Delta, who convened an emergency meeting with leaders of the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic nationalities at the government house in Asaba on June 8.

The leaders said the protests nevertheless continued and spread to more parts of the constituency, with additional oil and gas facilities occupied by demonstrators.

They added that the situation also attracted the intervention of Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, who met with community leaders from Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo communities in the constituency on Tuesday at Oporoza in Gbaramatu Kingdom.

The leaders said Tompolo “called for calm to give INEC the opportunity to address their grievances and protect critical national oil and gas assets”.

They further said the protests eventually drew the attention of President Tinubu, who convened an emergency meeting on Thursday with representatives of the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic groups at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

“At the meeting, Mr. President called for compromise, understanding and the need for the Ijaws, Itsekiris and Urhobos to live together as Nigerians,” the statement reads.

“Drawing inspiration from the national anthem, Mr. President appealed to the ethnic leaders to live as one, though tongue and tribe may differ, but in brotherhood we stand.”

The leaders said Tinubu also directed representatives of the various ethnic groups to agree on a power-sharing formula to ensure “fair and just sharing of positions” among the ethnic nationalities in Warri north, Warri south and Warri south-west LGA, which make up the Warri federal constituency.

According to the leaders, the president also appealed to the ethnic leaders to prevail on the protesters to discontinue their demonstrations.

“In the light of the foregoing, we the Leaders of Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State after consultation with other stakeholders hereby call on protesting women, youths and other stakeholders in Ijaw and Urhobo Communities of Delta State to demobilise and vacant all oil and gas facilities occupied in the different parts of the Warri Federal Constituency and the Escravos River,” the leaders said.

They said the appeal was “a demonstration of respect to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” and to give stakeholders the opportunity to resolve outstanding issues arising from the Supreme Court-ordered fresh delineation and allow for its full implementation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The leaders also expressed appreciation to Tinubu, Oborevwori and Tompolo for their interventions.

“We express our profound appreciation to His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo) for their timely intervention which led to the cessation of the protest,” the leaders added. (TheCable)