Soku Oil Well Belongs To Rivers -Wike

Echoes of the disputed Soku Oil Well reverberated last week, as the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike called on the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to do the right thing by ensuring that revenue accruing from the Soku Oil Well is paid to Rivers State.
The governor made the call last Tuesday when a delegation of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Wike described as unfortunate, the statement made by his Bayelsa State counterpart, that the commission should not pay the revenue from Soku Oil Well to Rivers State which is the rightful owner of the oil well.
Gov Wike said: “ 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.
“ 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 it’s wisdom directed that all revenue accruing from Soku Oil Well should be paid to Rivers State.
“ If they had filed a matter at the Supreme Court, it is not an injunction to stop the implementation of the subsisting judgement”.
The governor also advocated for a new revenue sharing formula that would enable the states get more money for development, because the burden of development rests more on the shoulders of the states.
The Rivers State Chief Executive  said the development of the country would remain stunted if there are no strong institutions that would promote devolution of power.
He made the observation while delivering his speech at the 60th Independence Anniversary held in Government House.
He said to put Nigeria on the path of progressive growth, the rule of law,a fraud proof electoral system and effective neutrality of law enforcement agencies and Independence of the judiciary should be put in place.
Wike noted that at Independence, there was effective democracy, regional autonomony and fiscal federalism but regretted that those principles that guided the political, socio-economic  relationship between the central government and the regions have been frustrated.
“ Under this arrangement, Nigeria thrived  on a peaceful and progressive path. Unfortunately, the fundamental principles of negotiated constitutional autonomy at Federal Court were blatantly jettisoned’, he said.
Also last week, Gov Wike said for judiciary to attain the needed Independence, judges  must be courageous and determined to uphold the tenets of the profession.
The governor made the call at a live Television interview programme monitored from Port Harcourt.
He explained that independence of judiciary does not mean to have more money to go on vacation but rather the freedom to attend to legal matters without fear or favour.
Another major event last week in Brick House was visit of Governor Wike to Oba of Benin. Wike, in company of other PDP Governor’s had gone to the palace of the Oba of Benin, Omo N’ Oba Akpolokpolo Ewuare 11 on a thank you visit to commend the monarch for his political neutrality and prayers for peaceful election during the Edo Gubernatorial Election.
Also within the week under review, Governor Wike handed over more residential quarters and office spaces to federal agencies in Ogu/ Bolo Local Government Area to enhance their services to the state.
The facilities included 48 units of One Bedroom Flats, 24 units of Two Bedroom Flats and Two multipurpose Halls.
“ We built some of these residential houses because we found out that most of the staff of these federal agencies still come to work here from Port Harcourt.

By: Chris Oluoh