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The Mayor of Urhoboland and an ex-militant leader of note in the Niger Delta project, Eshanekpe Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro, has berated a group, Transparency International Development Initiative, TIDI over an Abuja Federal High Court suit allegedly filed against the former governor of Bayelsa State and Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva alleging identity theft and certificate forgery, describing the efforts by the group as a clear case of “pull him down.”

In statement over the weekend in Abuja, the Mayor berated the group, noting that it was only engaging in a futile effort that will lead it nowhere and at same time seeking cheap publicity in its bid to mislead the Nigerian public, maintaining that the group’s action as ill- motivated and a bad political stunt.

The Minister, according to Akpodoro, “is a man of impeccable integrity, erudite in character and a top notch in all he does, and to this extent shouldn’t be embarrassed by those he described as busy-bodies,” who he stressed, “are willing tools in the hands of sworn enemies, who apparently have axes to grind with the Minister.”

He cautioned the group to desist from dragging political leaders in the mud and sacrificing them while their enablers are hiding watching how their foot soldiers sacrifice merit on the altar of envy and jealousy, noting that most of the bickering in were avoidable but save for what he described as unhealthy rivalry among the political class who he said are the apostles of pull him down who have sworn never to see Niger Deltans grow or the region meaningfully developed.

Recall, Akpodoro has always remained at the vanguard of enthroning peace in the region particularly among notable ex-militant leaders and also attacking the power base of petroleum products theft, pipeline vandalism, products adulteration and sundry crimes in the region.

The Gbaregolor, Ughelli South-born Mayor called on the aggrieved group to sheath their swords, stating that the motive behind the instituted case is “ungodly and most uncharitable allegations to ‘concoct’ against a Federal Minister, with a view to embarrassing him but was quick to add that Mr Sylva can never be pulled down saying, he is a product of grace and divine mercy who no one can destroy adding that the the Minister has long grown above mundane issues such as alleged by the group.”

“Vested interests,” according to the Mayor, “are persistently weaponised by politicians to destroy ‘our’ own to pave way for ‘strangers’ to usurp legitimate positions of power that should ordinarily be occupied by “our sons and daughters for the benefit of the orchestrators and executioners of conspiracies against the Delta region.

“We are used to things like this among us but certainly, it will end in the futility for the group and praise for Sylva,” Akpodoro stated, adding that, “the Federal government should tinker with the surveillance contract award to accommodate more interests for peace and tranquility in the region.”

Pointedly, the Mayor accused those behind it as stoking crisis they may not be able to stand wondering how possible is it for a man who had been governor in his state and now a minister for 8 years running be accused of identity theft if not for sinister motives by disgruntled elements who he noted are bent on causing disaffections among the country’s political elites.