Senators from the South-East states of Anambra and Enugu Tuesday played dumb while their colleagues from North-Central Kogi State sought to convince the Nigerian Senate that the disputed oil well that has sparked communal wars and heightened tension in the three states actually belongs to Kogi. Senator Smart Adeyemi was at his best as he addressed the Senate in session on the issue, declaring confidently: “The senators from Enugu and Anambra states are seated here and they know that the oil well belongs solely to Kogi State because it is within the territorial boundary of Kogi State.
“Mr. (Senate) President, my colleagues from these two states cannot and they are not disputing the fact that the oil well belongs to Kogi State. They can’t dispute it; they should leave our land with our oil well, please!” Surprisingly, no senator from Anambra and Enugu challenged Adeyemi on his claims. When Senator Ayogu Eze from Enugu spoke shortly before Adeyemi took to the floor, it was to request that Enugu must be joined as co-sponsors of a motion on the dispute by Sen. Atai Aidoko Ali from Kogi. Eze had based his argument on the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan recognises Enugu State as a party to the dispute. He however maintained his peace after Adeyemi confidently spoke on the matter, describing the dispute that has claimed a number of lives as “unnecessary and unwarranted.”
Ali’s motion on the “Communal Clash Between Echenwo/Odeke in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State and the people of Enugu-Otu Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State” slated to come up for deliberation was eventually stood down following the intervention of Senate President David Mark. The motion was deferred after the senators agreed with Mark’s suggestion that the the senators from Anambra, Enugu and Kogi should meet with the National Boundary Commission to resolve the matter, and bring back the motion if they fail to arrive at a solution to the matter.
Reported by News Express
