Oil wells: No propaganda can overturn A’Ibom’s ownership rights — Eno
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Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has reassured citizens that no amount of propaganda or sentiment can overturn the state’s rights to the oil wells as established by two valid Supreme Court judgments.
Cross River State is contesting the ownership of the oil wells with Akwa Ibom State due to a long-standing revenue dispute stemming from the 2008 loss of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, which rendered the state non-littoral.
A 2012 Supreme Court judgment awarded the 76 oil wells to Akwa Ibom State, but Cross River is arguing that the decision was unjust, asserting that new mapping and geological data place 67 of the oil wells within its territory.
Speaking while fielding questions from Government House correspondents on arrival at the Victor Attah International Airport on Sunday, Eno expressed strong confidence in the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, noting that the President places a high premium on the rule of law in administering the country.
He said, “There are two Supreme Court judgments that give Akwa Ibom State the right to those oil wells.
“We are not sharing maritime boundaries with Cross River State but with the Republic of Cameroun, and the Nigerian Supreme Court has said so twice to establish this fact.”
Governor Eno urged the people of the state to remain calm, emphasising that “there is no cause for alarm.“The people on the other side may cook up any story they want; raise propaganda, but this propaganda has no effect in the face of the two Supreme Court decisions establishing our ownership of the oil wells. This is not about sentiments.”
Reaffirming his faith in due process, he stated: “I believe in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; I believe that the rule of law will be respected; I believe that we cannot throw away Supreme Court decisions twice on this particular matter.”
He stressed that the matter is one of established facts, not emotions.
“If we were to talk about sentiments, then Cross River State should equally contest the allocation of many Ibibio-speaking villages of Itu LGA in Akwa Ibom State to Cross River State.
“Why are they coming up now to whip up sentiments when irrefutable facts on the oil wells have already been established?” he queried.
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission has officially refuted reports alleging that the oil wells were ceded to Cross River State, describing such claims as false and misleading.
Corroborating the commission’s rebuttal, Governor Eno reiterated, “Facts are sacrosanct, and you cannot push them under the carpet with sentiments.“Let our people remain calm because our President is a man who respects the rule of law.”
