Rivers: “Gov Fubara Will Be Back,” Tompolo Declares, Sends Crucial Message to Wike, Tinubu
- Chief Government Ekpemupolo, 'Tompolo', has declared support for the suspended governor of Rivers state, Sim Fubara
- Weeks after Tinubu declared a state of emergency, Tompolo urged the warring parties, Fubara and FCT minister Nyesom Wike, to reconcile
- The Ijaw leader urged President Tinubu to intervene in the Rivers political crisis to restore peace in the oil-rich region
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Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has expressed confidence that the suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, will remain in office despite recent political challenges.
Source: Facebook
Tompolo backs Fubara amid Rivers' emergency rule
Tompolo made this assertion while addressing the Ijaw nation on his 54th birthday at Aziza Temple regarding the ongoing Rivers state crisis and the fallout of the Warri Federal Constituency delineation in Delta state.
As reported by Leadership, he called for peace, dialogue, and reconciliation across the Niger Delta, particularly in the ongoing political tensions in Rivers State and the longstanding ethnic disputes in Delta state.
In a passionate address delivered to community stakeholders and traditional rulers in the presence of the revered Father Igologolo Aziza Deity, the Ijaw leader called for reconciliation between Fubara and his political godfather, former Governor Nyesom Wike.
“Our son in Rivers state will come back to sit on the throne,” he declared.
Continuing, Tompolo said:
“Wike is my friend. This is a father-and-son relationship. We will talk to Wike and bring him and Fubara back together.”
Source: Facebook
Turning his appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ijaw leader asked the president to intervene in the Rivers state crisis.
“We are pleading with our President: bring Fubara back. Wike, please take things easy, forgive and let go. I will not like my son to rebel against me, so I will not like Fubara to rebel against you.”
He dismissed political saboteurs, vowing resilience in the face of opposition.
“Those that are betraying me to you, I am not afraid of them. Any fight I go to, I become victorious.”
In a unifying tone, the leader reaffirmed the Ijaw nation’s support for President Tinubu.
“Every Ijaw man, we support Tinubu for now.”
Who is Tompolo?
Tompolo is a former militant who commands a strong following in the Niger Delta region. He was a prominent figure with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a coalition of armed rebel groups that kidnapped oil workers and attacked installations between 2006 and 2009.
According to Nnamdi Obasi, Nigeria researcher for the International Crisis Group (ICG), who spoke to Newsweek, Tompolo's acceptance of a presidential amnesty program offered by the Nigerian government in 2009 was "highly significant, some would say decisive, in ending the violence" in the Niger Delta.
The former militant has risen to become a strong ally of the federal government and a billionaire businessman.
The ex-militant leader now owns a security firm named Tantita Security Services (TSS) Ltd.. The firm was contracted by the federal government in 2022 to embark upon oil surveillance activities in the Niger Delta region.
Read more about the Rivers crisis here:
- Wike vs Fubara: Ijaw nation at war with Tinubu, APC? Sen Dickson opens up
- Wike tackles ex-governor for defending Fubara
- “How I was offered N5 bn to coordinate Fubara’s impeachment,” Edison Ehie speaks
- “Jonathan, Soyinka criticised Tinubu”: 5 things that have happened since the state of emergency in Rivers
- Rivers emergency rule: “What Wike stands to benefit from Tinubu’s declaration,” Top analyst speaks
“There’s an attempt to extend Rivers' emergency rule” - Commissioner
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Chisom Gbali, the suspended commissioner for youth development in Rivers state, alleged that there were plans to extend the state of emergency beyond the initial six-month period.
In an interview, Gbali claimed that former Governor Nyesom Wike and his allies are instigating fresh violence in the state to prolong the emergency rule.
Gbali spoke days after Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, the sole administrator appointed by Tinubu, announced plans to present the 2025 state budget.
Nurudeen Lawal, Head of the Politics and Current Affairs Desk, contributed additional background on Chief Government Ekpemupolo, widely known as Tompolo, to this report.
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Source: Legit.ng
