The APC Youth Network in Bayelsa State has demanded an immediate forensic audit and the cancellation of a multi-million dollar pipeline protection contract, following the resignation of a former party candidate who serves as a coordinator for the firm holding the deal.
In a statement, the youth wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) called for President Bola Tinubu to intervene. Their demand centres on the role of Joshua MacIver, a former deputy governorship candidate for the party in Bayelsa, who they say works for Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL). TSSNL, owned by former militant leader Government Ekpemukpulo (alias Tompolo), holds the state’s pipeline security contract.
The APC youths allege that MacIver benefited significantly from the arrangement while demonstrating disloyalty to the party. They contend the contract, valued at approximately $144 million (over ₦48 billion) annually, is marred by cronyism and lacks transparency. The group argues that such deals concentrate wealth among a few without effectively addressing oil theft, illegal bunkering, or ensuring regional development.
“Joshua MacIver did not join the APC because he believed in the vision for a better Nigeria,” the statement read, accusing him and others of treating party membership as “a temporary vehicle for enrichment.” They assert that beneficiaries retaining lucrative state contracts after leaving the party proves the arrangement has failed tests of loyalty and national interest.
The network is pushing for a comprehensive forensic probe into the contract’s award, payments, renewals, and its measurable impact on reducing pipeline vandalism and oil theft. They specifically urged scrutiny of beneficiaries in Bayelsa. Furthermore, they recommend replacing the current framework with a transparent, competitive model involving entities like the Nigerian Navy or vetted public institutions under strict oversight.
The statement frames the issue as one of governance and party discipline, linking it to President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.” It concludes by asserting that the Niger Delta requires genuine security and development, not arrangements that allegedly reward political opportunism. The group pledged support for any decisive presidential action to terminate the contract and hold beneficiaries accountable.
