Former Niger Delta Militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo who is also known as Tompolo, in an open letter to President Buhari, has explained why he has failed to show up in court over the corruption cases brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Tompolo has repeatedly refused to honor court invitations extended to him as he is being investigated for corruption by the EFCC.

The open letter was released by his media aide, Paul Bebenimbo, on Sunday, January 17.

The letter read: “The truth of the matter is that I do not know anything about the N34 billion Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is talking about. First, it was N13 billion issue, now it is N34 billion. I am not a signatory to any of the companies mentioned in the said N34 billion case, so I do not know where this one is coming from. I know that God in His infinite mercy will see me through in this critical moment.”‎

Tompolo also leveled some grievous allegations against former governor of Bayelsa state and All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the last Bayelsa election, Timipre Sylva.

He accused Sylva of conniving with thugs to blow up pipelines in a bid to frame Tompolo and make him look bad.

“I wish to inform you that it has come to my knowledge that the leader of your party and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa and a few young men from Warri South West council of Delta State, who joined the party from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the 2015 presidential election, are bent on linking me to the renewed vandalism of oil facilities in the Niger Delta, whereas they are the ones carrying out the act to smear my name.”

“They are doing this in connivance with the EFCC lawyer. The leader of your party in Bayelsa State approached me shortly after my meeting with you in Abuja that I should accompany him to meet you and plead for him to be appointed special adviser (SA) and chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which I refused to do because of his antecedents, as an unreliable and trustworthy person.”

“It was thereafter he forced his way into the governorship election of the state, which almost tore the state apart with violence, beginning with the party primary in which he demonstrated a high level of desperation as was recounted by the Chairman of the committee and Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.”

“As for members of the party from my local government area, Warri South-West, they have been involved in illegal bunkering and oil theft activities over the years, which I have been fighting against because of my love for country. They know me as a no-nonsense person. There is this one from Gbaramatu kingdom with me that has sworn to kill me because I refused to manipulate the ascension to our traditional stool in his favour when he was not even qualified for it. And so, he looks for any opportunity to deal with me.”

Adebayo Emuleomo