Francis Sadhere
Ex-Niger Delta militant, Chief Government Epkemupkolo (alias Tomplolo) has denied ever sponsoring the People’s Democratic Party candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, stressing that he is only supporting Okowa to achieve his dream of becoming the governor of the state.
Chief Ekpemukpolo stated this yesterday at Oporoza, Warri South West Local Government Area the state during the annual Amansiekumor festival celebrated by Ijaw nation to usher in prosperity for the Ijaw people.
The former Niger Delta freedom fighter said Okowa was the choice of the whole Delta state and that he had no hands in his emergence as the candidate of PDP, adding that it was only God that gives power.
Ekpemupkolo who also cleared the air on him being the godfather of Okowa, assured Deltans that he has no powers to interfere in the activities of governance even if Okowa becomes the governor of the state.
Speaking on the chances of President Goodluck Jonathan coming back as president in the next general elections, Epkemupkolo said President Jonathan chances of coming back are very bright because he has performed excellently well more than any president has ever performed in the history of the country.
“Goodluck is the best president in the history of this country. He has done very well for the country. He has developed every region in the country. So I believe that by the grace if God is going become the president of this country again. Despite the huge opposition that we seem to see around him, I still believe that at the end of the day good will always triumph over evil and come March 28, he is going to win the election,” Epkemukpolo said.
On the controversial Export Processing Zone (EPZ) issue that has been lingering in the region for some time now, Epkemukpolo said the Ijaws and the Itsekiris were working hard to resolve the matter, adding that President Jonathan will come and perform the ground breaking in no distance time.
He said: “By the grace of God the ground breaking will be performed by the President. As a matter of fact, there is going to be a meeting between the people of Gbaramatu community and the Itsekiri community tomorrow (today). The two ethnic groups do not have any problem. We are all working together to move the country forward.”
While appealing to Nigerians to vote massively for President Goodluck Jonathan in the next general elections, Ekpemukpolo also called on Deltans to vote for the Delta state PDP candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and his running mate, Barrister Kingsley Otuaro.
Also speaking to our correspondent at the occasion, the Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) Zaikede Patrick Akpobolokemi, lauded President Jonathan for his courage in ruling the country beyond expectations, adding that previous presidents of the country cannot match his performances.
The NIMASA DG who said President Jonathan has the blessings of God in becoming the president of the country, appealed to Nigerians to vote massively for him in the March 28 presidential election.
When asked if he was satisfied with way the president is fighting corruption, Akpobolokemi said “Jonathan has fought corruption excellently well just as he has done in all the sectors of the economy.”
“Stopping corruption from occurring is far better than arresting, taking people to court and putting them in prison. You have to stop corruptiohin first and that is what the president is doing. For instance, look at what is happening in fertilizer distribution. Unlike those days when it was almost impossible to get fertilizer to the ordinary farmer, today getting fertilizer to those that need it has become very easy,” the NIMASA boss said.
