•Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah
The Akwa Ibom State Government has dismissed the renewed controversies surrounding its ownership of 76 offshore oil wells, maintaining that the Supreme Court decision on the issue is final.
The Apex Court in July 2012 had placed a seal on Akwa Ibom’s ownership of the oil wells, dismissing claims to it by the Cross River State Government.
But recent reports attributed to the government of Cross River State, suggested that the issue of ownership of the wells would be up for review and that a political settlement was in the offing.
But in a swift reaction; the Government of Akwa Ibom State is firm that a decision made by the apex court of the land is judgement in rem and cannot neither be appealed nor deliberated further.
Addressing the issue on ARISE NEWS TV, yesterday morning, the State Commissioner for Information, Elder Aniekan Umanah, urged the public to disregard any circulating claims or rumours, emphasising that the July 2012 ruling of the Supreme Court remains final and binding.
“This is a settled matter. The Supreme Court, in July 2012, ruled on this matter and placed a permanent seal on this conversation.
“That is the highest court of the land. Once the Supreme Court gives a ruling, it is final. This is not a matter we should even talk about.
“This is a matter that Akwa Ibom State did not even take to court. I mean it is sealed”, he argued.
The commissioner also took the opportunity to spotlight the progress being recorded under Governor Umo Eno’s administration, noting that the ARISE Agenda continues to deliver visible results across various sectors of the state.
He highlighted achievements in education, agriculture, rural development, youth empowerment, security, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and road infrastructure, noting that the ARISE Agenda is not just a policy; but a real experience for Akwa Ibom people, as its impacts are being felt across the nook and cranies of the state.
He gave further insight on the tourism sector where Governor Eno is turning a ravine ravaged community into a one-stop tourism and hospitality resort, the ARISE PARK in Uyo, the Marine Resort In Oron, the 5000 Seats International Convention Center and Ibom Tropicana Hotel project among indicators of the plans to make the State a tourism hub, and also harped on the initiatives to sustain the peace enjoyed in the state.
On the recent visit by Governor Umo Eno, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and two other Senators from the State to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commissioner Umanah described the visit as a strategic move to strengthen ties with the federal government for the accelerated development of the state.
He mentioned that discussions during the visit focused on securing federal support for critical infrastructure projects in Akwa Ibom, including the Ibom Deep Seaport and other priority initiatives.
It would be recalled that following discontent over the political solution on the oil wells by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo Administration, the Cross Rivers State government under Liyel Imoke had dragged the Federal Government and the Akwa Ibom State government to court on grounds that some of the oil wells ceded to her by virtue of the agreement reached at a meeting called by the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2006, were not released.
Cross River lost her status as a littoral state after the Federal Government ceded the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon in 2008.
The seven justices of the court headed by the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, Dahiru Musdapher, in their ruling, submitted that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC) was right in attributing the oil wells to Akwa Ibom at the inter-agencies meeting.
Before delivering the lead judgment, the court dismissed Cross River’s application, pointing out that the agreement which initially gave the state rights to the 76 oil wells was frustrated by the handing over of Bakassi to Cameroon.
Mrs Adekeye held that the 13 per cent derivation revenue on the 76 oil wells between Akwa Ibom state and Cross River State must continue to be attributed to the state that has the maritime territory.
“Cross River State no longer has any maritime boundary,” she said.
“It is landlocked. The plaintiff not being a littoral state and not having a maritime boundary, the 76 oil wells, which are the subject matter of the suit, which lie offshore and within a maritime territory, cannot be attributed to it.
“The plaintiff has no maritime territory since the cessation of Bakassi Peninsula, and the Cross River estuary, which used to be part of the state prior to August 2008. The present position of the plaintiff cannot be blamed on any government agency, particularly the National Boundary Commission and the RMAFC. The two statutory bodies must perform their statutory duties based on facts and realities to compile the indices for the payment of the derivation revenues to entitled states,” she said.
