By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South

THERE was resentment in Itsekiri ethnic nationality, Delta State, yesterday, following uncorroborated information that President Goodluck Jonathan has again cancelled the groundbreaking of the $16 billion Gas Revolution Industrial City, Ogidigben in Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state, reportedly scheduled for Monday, March 16.

However, there is no confirmation or denial by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that the groundbreaking will hold or not hold, at press time.

Saturday Vanguard learned that after the March 4 truce between the Ijaw and Itsekiri brokered at Asaba by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was directed by President Jonathan to settle the differences between the two ethnic groups, a fresh date of March 16 was communicated to stakeholders, but yesterday, a counter information came that President Jonathan would no longer come.

In fact, a reliable source hinted this reporter that Governor Uduaghan contacted some leaders to inform them that the groundbreaking has been fixed for March 16, but the governor could not be reached, yesterday, by this reporter to confirm if there was a change in the date.

Before the March 4 respite, President Jonathan visited the Olu of Warri in January and met with him and other Itsekiri leaders at Asaba, last month, where he promised to perform the groundbreaking before the March 28 presidential elections. The sole issue on the table at the meeting between him and the Olu was date for the groundbreaking. After the meeting, he told the monarch that Governor Uduaghan would get back to him on the date after meeting with other stakeholders.

Secretary of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILoT and Chairman, Warri Study Group, WSG, the intellectual wing of the Itsekiri nationality, Mr. Edward Ekpoko, who initially told Saturday Vanguard, yesterday morning, that he had been communicated on the March 16 date called back later to say that he heard that President Jonathan would not be coming.

His words, “This is the third time in three months that President Jonathan has breached the promise to perform the groundbreaking.” His words, “It is an assault on the collective intelligence of the Itsekiri people to cancel the groundbreaking again after the promise to the Olu of Warri and other Itsekiri leaders on February 27 in Asaba.”

“You can fool people some of the time, but you cannot fool them all the time,” he said, adding, “Itsekiris are now wiser.” Ekpoko asserted, “He has told not just the Itsekiri, but Niger Delta ethnic nationalities that he cannot be trusted. From what is happening, he is pursuing an Ijaw agenda.”