Ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, allias Tompolo, has urged all ex-militants and Niger Delta people, to be calm as government and ex-militant leaders find lasting solution to problems confronting them.
Tompolo, who spoke to newsmen at the Benin Airport, while on his way to Abuja for a private meeting with the Presidency, assured that all the ex-militant leaders have had series of useful discussions with the Presidency.
Paul Bebenimibo, who spoke for Tompolo, also urged the people to disregard the so called Aaron Committee, saying that the ex-militant leaders were capable of discussing the future of the region with the Federal Government.
He assured that none of the ex-militants would be left out in the rehabilitation process, adding that if the seeming seriousness exhibited by President Yar’Adua is put into action, the people of the region would provide the conducive atmosphere for the development of the region.
According to him, “every body will be carried along in this post amnesty programme. We have leaders that have been discussing and of course you know that it is not every body that will be there to discuss with the Presidency. That is why every meeting we hold with the Presidency, we go back home to brief our people. So every body should keep calm, nobody is being left out in this struggle because our resolve is to ensure that the region is developed and serious discussions are on going to achieve that”.
On the Aaron team, he asserted that “there is nothing like Aaron team any where. Mr President has promised to meet with the leaders of the ex-militants and whatever comes out from such discussions will be for everybody. We do not believe in anything like Aaron team.
“Like from what we read in today’s paper, the so-called Jomo Gbomo has replaced Ms Annkio Briggs who he said is going to mediate in the team, and replaced her with somebody else. That is not acceptable to us. So there is nothing like Aaron team”.
He added that “ as long as the President will show that commitment because first and foremost, Mr President is going to take care of the welfare of the militant leaders and their followers and that will make them stay calm for developmental issues to be discussed. And that is why we are urging every body to be calm and see what the President wants to do for the people of the region.”
Oct272009