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| Chief Gani Topba |
Following the last Saturday July 27th 2019 disgraceful radio
invasion by Emeka Woke, where Leader of the Conscience Of Ogoni People, Chief
Gani Topba, was guest on Rythm 93.7 FM News and Current Affairs program “View
Point”; a popular live radio interview show anchored by ace broadcaster Segun
Owolabi in Port Harcourt, he has challenged Rivers State Government on his
position regarding the unfortunate death of Dr. Ferry Gberegbe
Chief Gani Topba has further called on the Rivers State Government to refute
his report that Royal Dutch Shell (SPDC) in partnership with some powerful
forces paid a whopping 1 billion US dollars into an account of the Rivers State
Government, money meant for the suffering people of Belema and OfoinAma
communities, particularly the Oko family hosting OML 25 oil facilities, when
the community has a trusted leadership that can manage their affairs.
Excerpt is the full text
of his response to the Rivers State Government:
Last Saturday July 27th 2019, the public can
recall that I was guest on Rythm 93.7 Fm news and current affairs program view
Point, a popular live radio interview show anchored by ace broadcaster Segun
Owolabi in Port Harcourt.
Following fall-out of that radio appearance, on
Wednesday 1st of August 2019, recall also that I granted another world press
conference wherein I responded to the Chief of Staff Rivers State Government’s
challenge to me on my position regarding the unfortunate death of Dr Ferry
Gberegbe. I also used the occasion to bare my mind on Chief Emeka Woke’
disgraceful radio invasion.
In view of the above, I, leader of Conscience of the Ogoni
People wishes to unequivocally reinstate that I stand by all the statements I
made on both occasions.
For the avoidance of doubt, let me once again reiterate as
follows:
1.That the Rivers State Governor deliberately refused to
visit ailing Dr Ferry Gberegbe while in hospital but chosed to visit his widow
with full compliments of the leadership of his party less than an hour after
his death, to make news on the moment and score cheap political points. The
Government of Rivers State can not absorb herself of complicity in the death of
Dr Ferry Gberegbe
2. That the Rivers State Government has not paid any money
into the account of late Dr Ferry Gberegbe’s widow, as was widely promised and
publicized. I challenge whoever that want to disprove me to publish account
details of the bank account in which the sum of 200 million Naira was paid into.
3. That the armature video purportedly showing how Dr Ferry
Gberegbe was shot was recorded by an aide to Prince Sudor Nwiyor, current ASUP
Chairman Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic Bori Chapter, a partisan fellow, as a result
its authenticity or otherwise must be subjected to an independent forensic
audit.
4. That why would the Rivers State Government not fly Dr
Gberegbe abroad for proper medical treatment as it is done to other kinsmen and
cronies of the Governor?
5. That Dr Ferry Gberegbe went through operation in an
“obscured” St Patrick’s hospital Port Harcourt, he managed to survive days
after bullets have been removed from his stomach. And so, the believed that he
was killed through poisonous substances is a serious question that is still
left unanswered.
6. During that interview, I also alerted the public about
how late Dr Ferry Gberegbe’s family has been evacuated from their rented
apartments and children chased out of school over inability to pay for their
fees. Nobody has disproved me on this.
7. I also told the public that bullet(s) that shot Dr Ferry
Gberegbe is also believed to be coming from the gun of suspected political
thugs allegedly hired by his colleague Mr Sudor Nwiyor, a well-known union
rival and current ASUP chairman Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic Bori.
8. That I demand the conduct of an independent autopsy
examination to assertain the real cause of the death of Dr Ferry Gberegbe,
weather is of food poison or from who and of which bullet(s) that shot him.
9. During that press briefing, I had also informed that
general public on the attack on my life following the Chief of Staff’s infamous
invasion of the radio station I was guest. I had condemned the illegal and
unethical behavior of Chief Emeka Woke, wherein I described his actions as an
attack on democracy and freedom of the press. I had challenged the NUJ, civil
rights organizations and other well-meaning individuals to raise and condemn
the act and defend the press being an institution of democracy.
10. I’ve said before that I am not a politician and so I
never intended to dabble in the political controversies surrounding Dr Ferry
Gberegbe’s death, because I believe also that the spirit of the departed should
rest in peace. But for the unbecoming conduct of Engr Emeka Woke, Chief of
Staff Government House who posed the challenge, hence my response.
11. Apart from the issues surrounding Dr Ferry Gberegbe’s
death which was never my intended topic for discussion on radio, regrettably,
the real vexed issues relating the Rivers State Government’s insincerity on OML
25, been the actual reason I appeared on radio is still not attended to.
12. It is important to note that I mentioned in my
interview that Royal Dutch Shell (SPDC) in partnership with some powerful
forces paid a whooping 1 billion US dollars into an account of the Rivers State
Government, money meant for the suffering people of Belema and OfoinAma
communities, particularly the Oko family hosting OML 25 oil facilities, when
the community has a trusted leadership that can manage their affairs. Again,
none of those media attack dogs have been able to prove me wrong on this.
Unfortunately, I have discovered that it was a deliberate
antics by the Rivers State Government to derail me and the unsuspecting public
from the real vexed issues surrounding the suffering minorities of the people
Belema and OfoinAma communities particularly the Oko family, but I refused to
be distracted.
Until this moment, it is sad that none of the troubling
questions I have raised have ever been answered. Not even the procured distance
nephew – one who was an enemy to Dr Ferry Gberegbe before his death, who was
quickly recruited by a “Wike Solidarity Movement” (WSM) leader and commissioner
designate to respond on his behalf and not of the family, to try to cover his
mess in other not to jeopardize his chances of gaining political appointment,
could not also disprove the facts contained in my interview.
In that press release, sadly the hired family/WSM enemy of
Dr Ferry did not worry about the groaning and pitiable condition of his late
nephew’s children and family, painfully he was dwelling on the academic qualifications
of the deceased and needless ascendancy theorem of the current ASUP chairman.
Is that what a true brother should do? Certainly not.
As a friend and true Babbe son, same clan with late Dr
Ferry Gberegbe, I am aware that the family of my late friend has not disagreed
with my opinion.
In summary, of all the barrage of paid attention seekers
that has greeted my famous media outing, none of them had been able to respond
to the real issues contained therein.
Rather than provide concrete responses to the facts and
real issues I’ve presented or otherwise disprove me with superior facts which
is what the public is interested in, what they do now is to resort to
sponsorship of their apologies and forcefully deceiving vulnerable political
appendages, promising them of a non-existing political appointments to rain
abuses and publish unprintable words on my personality. But I am not perturbed;
I am at peace with myself because I believe in the truth in all the things I
said.
Let me reinstate for the umpteenth time that I, Chief Gani
Topba, leader of Conscience Of Ogoni People, I do hereby stand by all what I
have said both on the radio interview program and during the press conference I
granted.
I challenge the Rivers State Government or anyone in doubt
to deal with the substance of the issues and disprove me with verifiable facts
accordingly.
Signed:
Chief Gani Topba,
Leader Conscience of
Ogoni People.
4/08/2019
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