Exclusive: How Kachikwu, Clark, Tompolo cooked controversial ceasefire on bombings

Fresh Angle International has learned from a credible source how Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu and fugitive militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo AKA Tompolo hatched the plan to organize the so called one-day Niger Delta Stakeholders’ conference held Friday August 19 at The Petroleum Training Institute, PTI Conference Centre in Effurun, Delta State.

Despite denials of the expose by members of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA that Chief Edwin Clark and Tompolo are part of the 22 members as well as sponsors of the economic sabotage group, Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, strong indications have emerged that the entire charade that took place at PTI Conference Centre, Effurun was a plot purportedly hatched at the private home of Chief Edwin Clark.

A source privy to the meeting hinted Your Soar- Away International Tabloid that with the backing of Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Chief Edwin Clark invited selected stakeholders of Ijaw extraction to his private residence and it was gathered that the Ijaw National Leader allegedly put a call through to Tompolo on the way forward to broker peace on the senseless bombings of critical National oil and gas installations by the NDA. High Chief Government Ekpemupolo allegedly told Chief Clark that if the Stakeholders’ Conference was convened with predetermined agenda to be drafted as communiqué in the one-day conference, he (Tompolo) would order members of the NDA to declare ceasefire within 48 hours after the communiqué is released. Barely 24 hours after the conference, members of the Niger Delta Avengers declared ceasefire and immediately issued a statement that Chief E.K. Clark will lead its negotiation team with the Federal Government on how to end the bombing of crude oil and gas installations.

Tompolo seeming ties with Dr. Ibe Kachikwu would not be unconnected with his relationship with Dumebi Kachikwu, brother to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu.

There are also allegations that Chief Clark received N400 million to convene the controversial conference.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that during the meeting at Chief Clark’s home, it was agreed that key stakeholders from Itsekiri ethnic Nationality should not be incorporated into the process because of their objections to the activities of the NDA and other pipeline vandals.

Fresh Angle International gathered that in a bid to give the Stakeholders’ Conference held at PTI, Effurun a true Niger Delta Face, Chief Edwin Clark allegedly made a phone call to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to inform him of the proposed conference so as to get his nod and similar calls were also put through to the Orodje of Okpe among other stakeholders outside the Ijaw ethnic extraction.

Indications that Governor Okowa, the Orodje of Okpe and other stakeholders, including Chief Timi Alaibe didn’t know details of the controversial conference emerged when the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa while declaring the conference open, condemned the composition of those invited. The Governor minced no word when he declared that key stakeholders that would guarantee genuine peace in the Niger Delta and possibly stop the bombing of the oil and gas installations were not invited.

A pointer to the disenchantment by some Niger Delta ethnic Nationalities came to the fore when a new upland militant group bombed NPDC gas lines and threatened to carry out more bombings after they distanced themselves from the PTI Conference convened by Chief Clark.

Barely a day after the NDA declared that Chief Clark will lead their negotiation team, members of the Movement for The Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND condemned the choice of Chief Clark, insisting he was a beneficiary of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for six years, yet he failed to attract any meaningful development to the oil rich Niger Delta region.

It was also gathered that to consolidate the negotiation, a meeting was convened for 12 noon Thursday August 25 at Abuja by the Honourable Minister of State For Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, with speculations rife that only key Ijaw representatives would attend.

Unconfirmed report reveals that despite the smoke screen being put up by the NDA, one of their demands is to allow the President Muhammadu Buhari administration give the pipeline protection contracts to the wanted Tompolo as his allies.

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