Pipeline Surveillance Contracts and the Call for Decentralization: The Position of Chief Inko Brightstar alias General Whoknows Tomorrow

The ongoing debate surrounding the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to foremost Niger Delta leader, High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo (popularly known as Tompolo), has continued to generate reactions across the Niger Delta region. While some groups have called for the termination or review of the contract, others have advocated for its decentralization.

However, Chief Inko Brightstar a.k.a General Whoknows Tomorrow, a prominent Niger Delta activist and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has offered a different perspective on the issue.

According to Whoknows Tomorrow, the calls for termination, review, or decentralization of the Tantita pipeline surveillance contract are largely misplaced. He argues that the contract is already decentralized in structure and operation.

“Every state in the Niger Delta has coordinators and subcontractors working under Tantita Security Services. This clearly shows that the system is already decentralized,” he stated.

Whoknows Tomorrow emphasized that rather than calling for the cancellation or restructuring of the entire contract, attention should be focused on the performance and conduct of some state coordinators.

He commended Tantita Security Services for its significant contributions to the region, noting that the initiative, alongside the Presidential Amnesty Programme, has played a vital role in reducing illegal activities and improving the livelihoods of youths in the Niger Delta.

“Tantita and the Amnesty Programme are among the key reasons many youths in the Niger Delta have abandoned illegal activities. Their impact cannot be overstated,” he added.

While praising the leadership of Tantita, including Tompolo (Chairman), Engr. Kestin Pondi (Managing Director), and Godfrey Pondi (General Manager), General Whoknows Tomorrow maintained that the real challenges lie at the state coordination level.

Using Bayelsa State as a case study, he alleged that some coordinators have turned the Surveillance job into a “family affair,” sidelining deserving individuals and party loyalists.

He recounted experiences from the 2023 Bayelsa State governorship election, where APC members reportedly felt excluded from opportunities under the Tantita structure despite their loyalty and efforts.

“It was disheartening to hear the deputy governorship candidate, who is the Bayelsa Coordinator of Tantita made a public statement that, Tantita was not for APC members, especially from someone contesting under the APC platform. Such statements discouraged many party faithfuls,” he said

The APC deputy governorship candidate, who also serves as the coordinator of Tantita in the state, stated: “Tantita is not affiliated with the APC. It is my private business, and as such, I reserve the right to employ whoever I choose. It has no connection whatsoever with the APC.”.

Following the party’s loss in the election, the situation reportedly worsened. Several employees of Tantita were allegedly disengaged on the grounds that they did not demonstrate sufficient support for the APC during the election. This development has sparked criticism and raised questions about fairness, loyalty, and the intersection between private enterprise and political expectations.

General Whoknows Tomorrow further alleged that in some cases, individuals with no prior commitment to the APC were favored over long-standing party members, leading to dissatisfaction and reduced political engagement.

He stressed that these issues should form the basis of public discourse, rather than targeting the leadership of Tantita.

“Tompolo is not the problem. The leadership of Tantita has done well. The real issue lies with some state and local coordinators who have mismanaged the opportunity,” he concluded.

General Whoknows Tomorrow called for a comprehensive review of state coordinators and sub-coordinators to ensure fairness, inclusiveness, and accountability in the system.

He urged stakeholders to focus on constructive criticism and reforms that will strengthen the initiative and ensure that its benefits reach all deserving individuals across the Niger Delta.