Governor Otu Demands Oil-Producing Status for Cross River
Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has emphatically declared that the state deserves fair treatment and full recognition as an oil-producing entity, citing the immense sacrifices it has made for the unity and peace of Nigeria.
Addressing a crowd of supporters at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar on Monday, Governor Otu insisted that the time has come for the state to reclaim what rightfully belongs to it.
His comments come amidst renewed discussions surrounding the potential relisting of Cross River as an oil-producing state, a status it lost years ago following the ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula and the subsequent transfer of 76 oil wells to neighboring Akwa Ibom State.
Governor Otu argued that the state should not be penalized for its historical contributions to national stability.
He maintained that his administration would pursue all legitimate avenues to ensure the state regains its economic standing.
“Cross River has made sacrifices for Nigeria’s unity and peace. It deserves fairness, justice and full recognition as an oil-producing state.
“We are full-fledged Nigerians. Our rights cannot be denied. The time has come for us to take what belongs to us,” Otu stated.
The governor’s remarks follow a recent report by the Federal Government’s Inter-Agency Committee on Nigeria’s oil-producing states, which projected that Cross River could be relisted as an oil-producing state.
This development has reignited tensions with Akwa Ibom State over the ownership of the disputed 76 oil wells.
In a swift reaction to the committee’s report, the Akwa Ibom State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom, recently told newsmen that the oil wells in question legally belong to Akwa Ibom, citing Supreme Court judgments that settled the matter years ago.
Despite the pushback from its neighbor, Governor Otu remains resolute. He thanked the people of Cross River for their unwavering support, describing their solidarity as the “strength behind our performance,” and reaffirmed his commitment to putting the people’s interests first.
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