Boundary dispute Kalabari elders meet Jonathan

Kalabari elders from Rivers State on Saturday met with President Goodluck Jonathan over the lingering oil wells feud between Rivers and Bayelsa states. The meeting, which was at the instance of the President was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The elders had accused Jonathan of complicity in an alleged plot to cede oil wells in some communities in the state to Bayelsa in order to shore up the earnings of his home state. The Presidency last Tuesday denounced the allegation as blackmail.

Jonathan used the opportunity of the meeting to convince the elders on his neutrality in the matter.

The Kalabari delegation was led by the Amanyanabo of Abonnema, Disreal Bob-Manuel, 

Owukoru (IX) who represented the Kalabari monarch.

The state governor, Rotimi Amaechi; and his deputy, Tele Ikuru led government officials.

Other members of the delegation were a former deputy governor, Sir Gabriel Toby; former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia; Prof. Nimi Briggs, Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, and some chiefs from the area.

On Jonathan’s team were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Chief of Staff to the President, Mike Ogiadomhe; Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and other presidential aides.

Before the meeting went into a closed session, Jonathan had said the purpose of the parley was to resolve the face-off.

“What I can say is that we have come here to resolve this crisis,” he said.

At the end of the meeting, Bob-Manuel told State House correspondents that the President informed them that he was neutral in the feud and they believed him. 

The royal father also denied insinuations that the state governor was the brain behind their protests, saying, “The Kalabari nation were not well treated and they decided to come out and state their minds. It has nothing to do with the state governor.”

He described the meeting as cordial, saying the elders were happy that the President invited them.

He said, “It was a friendly family meeting. We felt that certain delineation ought not to be done. The President has promised that the matter will be looked into and we believe him.”

Protesters under the aegis of the Kalabari National Forum and some monarchs from Rivers State had accused Jonathan of interfering in the dispute between the two states.

The protesters alleged that there were plans to cede five Rivers State’s oil communities to Bayelsa with the connivance of various Federal Government agencies.

The Presidency advised the Kalabari National Forum, its members and those it called “its hidden sponsors” to avoid the temptation to instigate a conflict between the Nembe and Kalabari people of Rivers and Bayelsa states.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson had also accused the Rivers State of blackmailing the President and asked for an unreserved apology.

But Rivers said it had no reason to blackmail Jonathan whom it called “a worthy son in-law.”