Economic Confidential

Rivers State government has raised the alarm over the loss of 117 oil wells and accused the Federal Government of paying N17bn Rivers money to Bayelsa.

The money was expected to remain in a special account until the land/oil well dispute between the two states was resolved.

The state governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi said besides the currently disputed Soku Oil fields in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state, Bayelsa State had commenced the fight for adjustment of boundaries that would rob Rivers State of additional 71 oil wells in its favour.

Amaechi, who dissociated himself from any ongoing political campaign towards the 2015 election, however, cleverly commended President Goodluck Jonathan for the statesmanlike role he had played so far in the oil well/boundary row between the two states.

“As we are talking now, they have given 46 oil wells belonging to Rivers State to Abia State. At the same time, apart from claiming that Soku belongs to them, the Bayelsa State government is fighting hard to extend the boundary to somewhere near Abonnema in order to take over another 71 oil wells belonging to us.

“The president advised us not to talk to the press on the Soku issue and he wants the right thing to be done and we will support him. Since Rivers people are happy with the way President Jonathan is handling the issue, we have to obey him by not talking to the press. But since you asked, I have to say it out. As a state and as a people, we have one common destiny; we will fight for our right,” Amaechi said.

According to him, Rivers State, which used to be the number one oil producer state before, had been reduced to around the third place, following the ceding of its oil wells to neighbouring states in the Niger Delta region.

On the rumoured vice- presidential ambition in the 2015 elections, Amaechi said he was not privy to any campaign or agreement with anybody to be vice-president, adding that he had not attended any meeting to agree on the said race.