Rivers State Governor, Ezenwo Wike has reacted to the claims made against him by his counterpart in Bayelsa State, Governor, Seriake Dickson.
Wike, in a statement signed by Simeon Nwakaudu, his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, declared that the Soku Oil Wells belong to the Government and People of Rivers State as the Federal High Court affirmed and based on the admission by the National Boundary Commission that it erroneously shifted the boundary between Rivers and Bayelsa States from River Santa Barbara to River Saint Batholomew in the 11th Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria.
Governor Wike described the allegations made against him by his Bayelsa counterpart as the baseless ranting of a frustrated politician who is yet to come to terms with his losses.
Wike also alleged that Governor Seriake Dickson had concluded plans to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, but was blocked by Timipre Silva and Heineken Lokpobiri, the party leaders in the state.
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“In 2002, the NBC altered the boundary in the 11th Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria. They made a mistake by shifting the boundary from River Santa Barbara to River St Batholomew. At the Supreme Court, the NBC wrote a letter a admitting their error.
“The Supreme Court made an order for the NBC to correct the error of the 11th Edition in the 12th Edition,” he said.
Governor Wike said seven years after the Supreme Court gave the order, the NBC was yet to effect the correction.
He said that preliminary report on the 12th Edition indicated that the NBC made no attempt to obey the order of the Supreme Court.
“We had to sue the NBC to enforce the order of the Supreme Court, where they were directed to ensure that the Boundary Between Rivers and Bayelsa State is River Santa Barbara.
“Judgment has been given. The best the Bayelsa State Governor can do is to go on appeal.
“You cannot cannot heap your frustration on us. We have nobody to carry guns, so the best place to go is the court,” he said.
Governor Wike stated that he was elected by Rivers people to protect their interest. He said there is nothing personal in the fight for Soku Oil Wells.
“I am protecting what belongs to Rivers State Ijaw. I am protecting what what belongs to Rivers State.
“The Outgoing Bayelsa State Governor is the one trying to cause disharmony by attempting to collect what belongs to the Ijaw in Rivers State.
“Contrary to the allegation by the Outgoing Bayelsa State Governor, there is no local Government Area in Rivers State where we don’t have projects. Let him mention the projects he has in the eight local Government Areas of Bayelsa State. Dickson cannot in all ramifications compare himself to me in terms of development,” he added.
