SUPREME COURT VICTORY: BANIGO APPLAUDS GOVERNOR WIKE

SUPREME COURT VICTORY: BANIGO APPLAUDS GOVERNOR WIKE

Rivers State Deputy Governor Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has applauded the State Chief Executive, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and all true patriots of Rivers State on the Supreme Court Judgement over Soku Oil Wells.

In a statement from the Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday 29th October, 2020, Dr. Banigo said since his assumption of office on May 29th 2015, every action taken by Governor Wike had been taken in the best interest of the Rivers People.

Banigo said that the Governor’s determination to continue to pursue the matter against all odds demonstrates his determination to ensure that the interest of the Rivers People is protected at all times.

She reiterated that the purposeful leadership of the Governor has translated into an exponential increase in the socio- political and economic development of the State.

It would be recalled that the Rivers State Government is contesting the error in eleventh edition of the Admin map of Nigeria published by the office of the Surveyor General of the Federation which placed the boundary between Bayelsa and Rivers State at San-Bartholomeo River instead of Santa Barbara River.

The Rivers State Government went to court over the refusal to effect the correction after letters of protest from the State Boundary Commission and the office of the Surveyor General of Rivers State.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2012, that the error should be reverted to status quo and that the revenue accruing from the oil wells be paid to an escrow account until the determination of the boundary.

However, the order of the Supreme Court has not been implemented until Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike took over the reins of Governance and decided to fight for the rights of the State.

The Federal High court in Abuja had earlier ruled in favour of Rivers State, that the Soku Oil Wells belong to Rivers State and so revenue accruing from the wells should be paid to the State.