Bayelsa State Government has appealed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which transferred its ownership of Soku oil wells to Rivers State.
Recall that Justice Inyang Ekwo who delivered the judgement weeks ago also ordered the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to rectify the error in its 11th Edition of Administrative Map which designated San Bartholomew River as the boundary between the two states, instead of River Santa Barbara.
Not satisfied with the judgement, the Bayelsa State’s Solicitor-General, Preye Agada on Monday led the state’s legal team to file the appeal on behalf of the state Attorney General.
He disclosed that the State is also seeking a stay of execution of the judgment pending determination of the appeal.
Agada alleged that Justice Ekwo made an order against Bayelsa State while the state was not a party in the suit filed by Rivers State.
“Bayelsa State was not served the processes in the suit before the lower court delivered the said judgment,” he said.
He said Bayelsa State went before the Court of Appeal as an interested party affected by the outcome of the suit which was between the Attorney-General of Rivers State and the National Boundary Commission.
Agada said Bayelsa State had written to all relevant federal agencies to stay action on the enforcement of the judgment, pending the outcome of the appeal.
“The agencies include the Office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Finance; the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, and the National Boundary Commission.”
He argued that contrary to the claim by Rivers State, the oil wells were in Bayelsa State, which had been receiving the 13 percent derivation and other statutory allocations accruing from them for a long time.
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