Rivers, Bayelsa resolve oil well dispute

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has expressed his delight over the peaceful resolution of the Soku oil well dispute between Rivers and Bayelsa States.

Speaking in Port Harcourt on Saturday during a visit to his Rivers counterpart, Siminalayi Fubara, Diri said he was pleased that both states had agreed to return to the status quo, thereby ending the dispute and withdrawing the case from court.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, Daniel Alabrah, the Bayelsa governor stressed that peaceful relations between the two states were crucial for their development and called for their continued cooperation.

Diri also commended Fubara for his handling of the demolished property of the Bayelsa government in Port Harcourt, which is still in court, although both states are nearing an amicable settlement.

He stressed the importance of regular interactions between both states and assured Fubara of the support of the government and the people of Bayelsa at all times.

The Bayelsa governor further praised the cooperation of the sister state in tackling vandalism, which has led to the creation of a joint task force to address the issue and prevent further damage to government facilities, particularly the power infrastructure of the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

He said: “We came to pay you a Christmas visit. You surprised us earlier this year, and as brothers, we decided to visit you. Going forward, we should continue to visit each other to maintain peace and foster development in both states.

“Rivers and Bayelsa are one. Since you came on board, both states have been peaceful. Now, we have mutual understanding, even in areas where we once had issues.

“For instance, the Soku oil well. We have agreed to return to the status quo before the crisis, and there is peace now. That matter is out of court.

“Recently, our state was in darkness for four months due to vandalism of TCN facilities. We waited for TCN, but they were too slow, and the vandals destroyed more facilities. Today, we have a joint surveillance team to check vandalism, and we are happy.

“We also had issues with Rivers because our property was demolished. We instituted a case, but since you came on board, solutions are being sought.”

In his response, the Rivers governor said both Rivers and Bayelsa needed each other to make progress and insisted that they could not be separated.

Fubara called on Diri to revive the BRACED Commission and strengthen cooperation among the states of the Niger Delta region.

The Rivers governor noted that whatever happens in one state affects the others, and as such, states cannot develop individually.

He also stressed the need for both states to live together peacefully, saying that, aside from administrative purposes, there was no difference between the two states.

He concluded by stating that leaders owe their people lasting legacies, as leadership is about serving the people and stepping down when the time is right.