The people of Kalabari community in Rivers State have accused president Goodluck Jonathan of plotting to seize oil and gas bearing wells in the state in order to cede them to his native state, Bayelsa.This was contained in a petition addressed to the speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal over the weekend. Dated January 24, 2014, the petition signed by Kalabari Solidarity Forum and routed through Hon Dawari George representing Asari-toru and Akuku-Tori, Rivers State, stated that an imminent crisis may “plunge the Niger Delta into another spate of violence, tribal wars and needless waste of lives and property with its attendant negative implications on the nation’s image and economy.”According to the Kalabari community, their grouse stems from an alleged connivance and conspiracy by privileged government officials in the presidency, the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation and the National Boundary Commission to cede 90 per cent of oil and gas bearing communities and settlements in Akuku Toru local government area (Kalabari) in Rivers State and making them part of the Old Brass Division in present day Bayelsa State.They went further to state: “We make bold that our president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan is very acquainted with the facts of this explosive matter but allowed it to fester. Maybe because his native Bayelsa State is the beneficiary of this arrogance and outright wickedness.”Calling for the completion of the inter-state boundary delineation exercise which commenced in 2000/2001, the petitioners said they would resist any attempt by the boundary commission to publish and implement the “rumoured 12th edition of the administrative map of Nigeria.”They concluded by praying the House to direct the payment henceforth of all revenue proceeds from the disputed oil wells to an escrow account maintained by the two states under the accountant general of the federation and all withdrawals and revenue paid earlier to Bayelsa State from the account returned.Going further, they demanded the lawmakers to direct that status quo be maintained with regards to the 10th editon of the administrative map of Nigeria while the boundary commission carried out the boundary delineation exercise between the two states.
