09 Ianuary 2014, Warri -Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has said there was no plan to relocate the multi-billion dollar, first Nigerian Gas City Project from the oil-rich community of Ugborodo, Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state, despite the lingering local leadership tussle.
The governor also assured that the federal government was poised to clip the wings of the people belligerent factions in the Ugborodo Community Trust leadership struggle, stressing that “nobody is above the law.”
“We want to assure the people that nobody is above the law; no individual or group of individuals could take on the government and hope to succeed,” Uduaghan said.
The governor, who stated this yesterday in a chat with journalists at the Government House Annexe, Warri, also debunked certain media reports that agents of the Department of Military Intelligence (DMI) were in Warri to quiz some security operatives.
He said he had confirmed with the DMI, based on the alleged visit by the intelligence team, and it was told that “DMI was not in Warri at all”, advising media professionals to stick to reporting the truth at all times.
In order to find the last solution to the lingering leadership tussle in Ugborodo community, the federal government has summoned the two feuding parties to Abuja.
The two groups of the Ugborodo Community Trust that have been at loggerheads are led by Mr. Thomas Ereyitomi and Mr. David Tonwe, respectively.
Uduaghan said the summon of the factional leaders from Ugborodo was sequel to his meeting with the President, the National Security Adviser (NAS), the Chief of Naval Staff and Inspector-General of Police (IG).
The governor reiterated the fact the the Itsekiri ethnic nationality has only one traditional ruler in the Olu of Warri, warning anyone parading himself as a traditional ruler in Itsekiri Kingdom to desist forthwith or be prepared to face the full wrath of the law.
Meanwhile, a renowned Itsekiri traditional chief and Niger-Delta woman leader, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, yesterday led hundreds of Itsekiri women to meet with Uduaghan to demand an immediate end to the leadership tussle in Ugborodo.
Lori-Ogbebor, who suggested the setting up of a police post in the island community of Ugborodo, said the women had to speak up because they stand to suffer most if the crisis degenerates further.
Uduaghan thanked the female chief and the women for the visit and assured them that everything was being done to ensure that the $26 billion dollar gas city would be secured by the federal government and nobody would be allowed to cause a breach of the peace for selfish reasons.
– This Day