Communities say Gov. Wike's intervention in OML 25 dispute ‘meddlesome'

Port Harcourt -- The host communities of OML25 have rejected the plan by the Rivers State Government to intervene in the 22 months old shutdown of Belema flow station and gas plant operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC/NNPC JV in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of the state.

They referred to the governor's intervention in the two-year crisis as meddlesome.

Kula Council of Traditional Rulers as well as chiefs, elders and youths of OML25 host communities namely Belema, Offoinama and Ngeje accused the governor of bias in inviting a perceived enemy of the host communities to a meeting aimed at resolving the protracted dispute between SPDC and the host communities.

In a communique read by the spokesperson of the Kula Council of Traditional Rulers, Chiefs Fiala Okoye-Davies, they wondered why Governor Wike had not intervened in the over 26 years shutdown of OML11 by the

people of Ogoni, but, was quick to intervene in OML25 dispute which was barely two years old.

The communique read: "The so-called intervention of the state government on OML25 is meddlesome, as the issue is on the executive list and not on the concurrent list of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We therefore plead with His Excellency to exercise restraint and caution on this matter.

"It is our view that this meeting is gathering of the state governor and his political allies and not the affected host communities and their leaders.

"The so-called intervention of the governor casts a shadow of doubt to the sincerity of the government in resolving the issue. The governor has never intervened on the Ogoni shutdown of OML11 for over 26years, the question is why the sudden interest to resolve the shutdown of less than two years?"

The Kula Council of Traditional Rulers also called on the Federal Government to prevail on the Rivers State governor to have a restraint in its move to intervene on the matter, so that things do not snowballed into crises in the area.”This matter is being handled by the Presidency and is currently before the office of the Vice President for dialogue, negotiation and peaceful resolutions which the Rivers State Government is fully aware. We further view this meeting as an invitation to resurgence of violence and anarchy in Kula Kingdom, which is unarguably the most peaceful environment in Rivers State.