The Amalgamated Arewa Youth Groups (AAYG) has vowed to drag the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to court if it fails to revoke the multi-million dollars pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Mr. Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo.
The group expressed shock that the former leader of the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta would be awarded such multi million dollar contract.
AAYG is a coalition of 225 Youth Groups in the North that operates at home and in the diaspora.
In as statement, AAYG spokesperson, Comrade Victor Duniya said, “our group gathered that the said contract is meant to end illegal bunkering, illegal refining and other forms of oil theft in the Niger Delta.”
The group said it was particularly concerned that in the early days of President Buhari administration that there was uncontrolled bombing of oil facilities in Niger Delta, which contributed in so small measure in dragging Nigeria into recession.
According to the statement, the group noted that a national daily attributed the award of the contract to the roles allegedly played by some major stakeholders in the oil sector.
“Our group sees the awarded contract as empowerment scheme for Niger Delta youths and nothing more. This is in addition to the billions of Naira that is being spent in the failed Amnesty Program that is exclusively reserved for them. This is against the spirit and letters of our constitution that advocates for federal character in all government dealings,” they said.
“From the above background, We therefore make the following demands:That the Niger Delta youths should chose either the Tompolo contract or the Presidential Amnesty Program. As we can’t continue to fold our arms and watch government spent her scarce resources on few …elements.”
Meanwhile, AAYG urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sack those promoting ethnic and regional interest over National interest , and those who use their office to reward criminality and treasonable tendencies instead of patriotism.
They also lamented that each region in the country is faced with its peculiar challenges adding that the NNPC Limited and the Federal Government should thus vote out 4billion Naira monthly, for Youths of the 5 other geopolitical Zones that are not beneficiaries of the NNPC Limited gift to Niger Delta Youths.
They added: “That we will be forced to take both physical protest and legal actions, if the NNPC Limited and the Federal Government fail to revoke the awarded Contract to Tompolo’s firm in the next Seven days.”