Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to beam a searchlight on the activities of the National Boundary Commission, alleging that the commission now personifies corruption in the country.
Wike also warned those conspiring against Rivers State in any form and manner to be ready to experience devastating downfall in life.
He spoke at a special thanksgiving service of Rivers State, yesterday, over the legal victory secured at the Supreme Court in the oil well dispute between Rivers and Imo states, at Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Port Harcourt.
Wike in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said at the inception of his administration, Rivers State was dedicated to God and has since then enjoyed his protection, including its people and natural resources.
The governor explained that the oil wells in Akiri and Mbede communities, though in dispute, awaited the properly boundaries demarcation by the National Boundary Commission.
He regretted the actions of former governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State and the current governor Hope Uzodimma of state that rescinded the political arrangement of 50:50 sharing formula of the proceeds from the disputed oil well in Akiri and Mbede communities.
Wike said: “This young man (Ihedioha), just within four/five months he became a governor, went to see Mr. President. He wrote to Mr. President that Rivers State is owing Imo State N15billion and, therefore, they should take the money from Rivers State, that the oil wells we are sharing on the 50:50 formula amicably, belong to them.”
“This is someone Rivers people, not Rivers State government, supported, and spent money on. I’ve never seen a betrayal like this in my life that the former Governor Ihedioha displayed.”
“Rivers people who helped him had sleepless night to make him the governor of Imo State. We did everything we could do, thinking that we were supporting a friend. All we got was a stab at the back.”
Wike informed that eventually, at the behest of President Buhari, the late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari wrote a letter to the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMFAC.
The letter, he said, directed for the deduction of N15billion from Rivers State and the handover of the disputed oil wells to Imo State as requested by Emeka Ihedioha.
“But because of the sharp and very focus and honest Commissioner of Finance that we have in Rivers State, the letter bearing the instruction to take N15 billion from us, and the oil wells to be taken away from us was intercepted.
“We rushed to the Federal High Court to contest that Mr. President has no power to direct you to do this and the court agreed with us that yes Mr. President has no power to do this. That if there is anybody to do this it is the National Boundary Commission.
“Unfortunately, the most corrupt national agency is the National Boundary Commission. Corruption is personified in NBC.
“If Mr. President is fighting corruption, he should leave innocent individuals and go to these agencies where corruption is personified. I’ve never seen people who believes anything they do must be for money.
“They will abandon their function and create problems between states when there is not supposed to be problems. They will not do the right work so that the states can live in harmony.”
Vanguard
