RSG Reveals Secret Of 86 Oil Wells Recovery …He’s A Dogged Fighter – Anyanwu …Judgement ‘ll Accelerate Dev – Abe …Rivers Women Express Optimism

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has declared that divine intervention through fasting and prayer by the State Executive Council was the reason for the recovery of the 86 oil wells wrongly ceded to Akwa Ibom State since 2009.

Speaking last Saturday in Gokana in continuation of his re-election campaign, Governor Amaechi told the mammoth crowd that he was pained by the decision of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission to cede the 86 oil wells which clearly belonged to Rivers State.

“As soon as that decision was taken, I told my colleagues (Governors) that this thing cannot stand. I will challenge this and ensure that it is settled once and for all.

“At the State Executive Council meeting, we agreed to enter into seven days fasting and prayer for the recovery of these oil wells.

“At the end of the seven days, I continued the fasting on my own and I promised God that if He answers our prayer that I will declare it and sing publicly to His Glory”, Governor Amaechi said.

The governor who literally turned the well-attended campaign into a mini crusade, laced his speeches with melodious Christian tunes which was appreciated by the crowd that went wild with dancing and jubilation.

Governor Amaechi who also gave kudos to the justices of the Supreme Court for standing firm to ensure justice, declared today as a day of fasting and prayer in Rivers State to thank God for the recovery of the 86 oil wells.

He stated that with the recovery of the oil wells, the state will have more funds to complete on-going projects and embark on new ones in the efforts to move the state to a new level.

It would be recalled that in a unanimous judgemnent last Friday, seven justices of the Apex Court with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justices Katsina-Alu presiding, held that Akwa Ibom State was bound by  an agreement which it signed with the government of Rivers State on October 31st 2006 during the tenure of former Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State  and Obong Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom conceding the oil wells of Rivers State.

Reactions have continued to trail the Supreme Court judgement, with a PDP stalwart and elder statesman in Rivers State, Prince Emma Anyanwu pouring encomiums on Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

In a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt, Friday, shortly after the judgement, Prince Anyanwu declared that Governor Amaechi has proved beyond doubts to be a leader that places the people first and a dogged fighter who doesn’t give up easily.

Prince Anyanwu stressed that the landmark judgement would remain indelible in the minds of Rivers people, pointing out that if previous administrations had been alive to their responsibilities, the state owned Pan African Bank wouldn’t have gone under.

Meanwhile, the Etche-born politician has described the governorship ambitions of Dr. Abiye Sekibo and Sir Celestine Omehia as laughable, declaring that both do not have the clout to stop the incumbent Governor Amaechi from winning a second term in office.

“In the past, it was glorified government, people who won cups for no governance. Amaechi has not won any cup, he has not been crowned but the people of Rivers State are going to crown him with re-election. He has not looked for outsiders to crown him to be golden this, golden that,” he stressed.

He argued that Celestine Omehia has nothing to show for the five months he was in office, while saying that Abiye Sekibo, who was Secretary to State Government (SSG) and later Minister of Transport, cannot point to anything he did for his people.

According to him, “SSG is a big position in government and for you to be in one of the largest ministries in Nigeria, Ministry of Transport and you have nothing to fall back to your people to say this is what I have done is shameful.”

On politics in his native Etche Local Government Area, he dismissed the challenge of opposition parties, saying that they are only ranting and do not have anything to show that they can dislodge PDP in the area.

Meanwhile, Rivers people have welcomed last Friday’s Supreme Court judgement that returned 86 oil wells from Akwa Ibom State to Rivers State and said it  would ensure accelerated development in the State if Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is re-elected in the April general elections, Hon. Magnus Abe has assured.

The former secretary to the State Government who gave the assurance on Friday when he paid a courtesy call on the  Gbenemene of Nyor Khana, King Williams Z.P Nzidee commended the doggedness of the governor to have pursued the matter to a logical conclusion, noted that the judgement has made the state unquestionably the richest state in the country.

He tasked the people to go to the ballot box and demonstrate the love and appreciation of what Governor Amaechi have done in the  state by casting their votes for the governor, himself and other PDP candidates in the general elections.

He noted that Amaechi’s government started the monorail, the modern schools, the construction of roads, hospitals, among others and he needs a second chance to complete them..

Also the leadership of the Princewill Political Association (PPA) has described Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi as an agent of change and instrument in the hands of God to turn around the fortunes of Rivers State and its people.

In a related development, women in Rivers State have expressed optimism that the 86 oil wells returned to the state by the Supreme Court will help to fast-track development in the state. Leader of women and wife of the Rivers State Governor Dame Judith Amaechi stated this in a statement signed by her Media Assistant Dike Bekwele.

She said the Supreme Court ruling re-awarding the 86 oil wells to Rivers State will accelerate rapid economic and infrastructural development.

Mrs. Amaechi said Rivers women received the news with so much joy especially at this time in the political life of the state.

The governor’s wife stated that the Supreme Court ruling was another testimony of God’s love for Rivers people and thanked Governor Amaechi and the judiciary for making the state proud.

Delivering the lead judgement in the suit Friday, Justice Katsina-Alu, the Chief Justice of Nigeria held that Akwa Ibom was bound by the agreement because its former governor was a signatory to the agreement of 31st October, 2006, concerning the 86 oil wells which belongs to Rivers State.

Justice Katsina-Alu’s lead judgement held that: “It is not in dispute that this agreement was reduced into writing and dated 31st October 2006, and tendered and admitted as exhibit. It is indeed embodied in the letter written by the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo.

Continuing, the Chief Justice of Nigeria declared, “it can be seen clearly from this letter that the parties have voluntarily jettisoned Technical and Historical Solutions. This is so because these Solutions were considered at the meeting before opting for the Political Solution.

“The parties faithfully implemented the terms of the agreement till the tail end of 2007 when Akwa Ibom unilaterally sought to rescind the agreement and commenced its agitation for the application of the Historical Solution.”

Justice Katsina-Alu further maintained that “The plaintiff avers that it accepted the Political Solution Method Agreement. So did the defendants. The parties are bound by the agreement.

The parties are stopped by their conduct from disclaiming their acts. In the present case, the defendant must accept the legal relations as modified by them in the agreement they voluntarily entered into with the plaintiff. Surely it will be inequitable to permit the defendants to walk out of the agreement which on the evidence before me was not obtained by fraud, misrepresentation or deception.

According to him, “It does not matter that in the instant case the defendants have suddenly realised that the terms of the agreement they had entered into with the plaintiff are not favourable to them.

He further held that “The plaintiff (Rivers) is the owner of the 86 oil wells by virtue of the political solution agreement between the plaintiff and the 1st defendant (Akwa Ibom), the terms of which are contained in exhibit AMBI, and therefore entitled to be paid revenue derivable there from under the provisions of section 162 of the 1999 Constitution from April, 2009 till date and subsequently.

The Chief Justice declared, “the defendants are hereby directed by themselves and their appropriate agencies to forthwith compute and calculate all such sums of money accruing from 86 oil wells belonging to the plaintiff by virtue of the subsisting and biding political solution agreement which sums had since been unlawfully paid to the 1st defendant (Akwa Ibom) with effect from April, 2009 till date of this judgement and payment of all such sums to the plaintiff by the 1st defendant forthwith.

“There shall be interest at the prevailing commercial rate per annum on the total sums calculated, as due to the plaintiff from April 2009 till date of this judgement, and thereafter” at 8 percent interest per annum on the judgement debt until full liquidation of the judgement sum and interest.”

No official reaction from the State Government, as at the time of this report, as Governor Amaechi was out of the State on official engagement.

Celestine Ogolo

A mammoth crowd in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, during Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s re-election campaign rally, on Saturday