By Godwin Anene
The crisis between Rivers and Bayelsa States over the ownership of the controversial Soku Oil Well has deepened as Governor Nyesom Wike attacked his Bayelsa colleague, Douye Diri.
He insisted that the controversial oil well belongs to Rivers as it is located in the state.
Wike said a recent comment credited to Governor Diri that the Federal Government should stop paying Rivers from Soku oil well was ‘unfortunate.’
He spoke on Tuesday in Port Harcourt when he received a delegation of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
The governor told his visitors that there is need for a new revenue sharing formula that will make the state get more money for development.
ALSO READ: Buhari Inaugurates Itakpe-Warri Rail Line For Commercial Activities
Wike’s outburst was contained in a statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information, Paulinus Nsirim.
The statement said, “It is unfortunate that the Bayelsa State Governor told you when you visited him that you should not pay us revenue from Soku Oil Well.
“The matter was at the Supreme Court when the National Boundary Commission admitted that they made an error in their 11th edition publication by situating Soku Oil Well in Bayelsa State.
“They were, therefore, directed to correct the error in their 12th edition publication. When they also failed to effect the correction, we had to go back to the Federal High Court. The court, in its wisdom, directed that all revenue accruing from Soku Oil Well should be paid to Rivers State.
“That is the position. For Bayelsa State Governor to come up to say that you should not pay our money is unfortunate.
“If they have filed a matter at the Supreme Court, it is not an injunction to stop the implementation of the subsisting judgment.”
YOU MAY ALSO READ: Fatal Accident Claims Four Lives, Others Seriously Injured
NIGER DELTA TODAY (NDT) Online reports that Justice Inyang Ekwo had, on December 16, 2019, declared Rivers as the owner of the disputed Soku Oil Wells/Fields located in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The decision of the court was premised on a suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/984/19 filed by the Attorney-General of Rivers State against the NBC.
Justice Ekwo held that after examining all the documents from relevant government agencies and facts before the court, the Soku Oil Wells/fields belong to Rivers State.
Bayelsa has, however, appealed the judgement.
