Gov Eno Allays Fears Over Disputed Oil Wells With Cross River

As tension between Akwa Ibom and the neighbouring Cross River mounts over disputed oil wells, Governor Umo Eno has reassured the people of his state that there is no cause for alarm.

He said his administration was on top of the situation.

According to the governor, no propaganda or sentiments can overturn two valid Supreme Court judgments affirming Akwa Ibom’s ownership of the oil wells, including the 76.

Responding to questions from  correspondents upon his arrival at the Victor Attah International Airport, the governor expressed strong confidence in the leadership of President Bola Tinubu to resolve the matter, noting that “the President places a high premium on the rule of law in administering the country.”

“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,” he explained.

Governor Eno, therefore, 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,” he stressed.

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 pointed out that the matter is founded on established facts, not emotions, maintaining that “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,” querying “why are they coming up now to whip up sentiments when irrefutable facts on the oil wells have already been established?”

It would be recalled that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) 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.”