We came to discuss issues pertinent to our States
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA – PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, Tuesday met behind closed doors with Governors of South South geopolitical zones at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Four out of the six governors of the zone came together about 2:50pm and proceeded straight to the President’s office for the meeting which lasted about one hour.

The Governors were reluctant to talk to State House correspondents who had waited to know the reason behind the meeting that was attended only by the governors in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

South South Governors 5: President Buhari with R-L: Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom and Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State as he receives South South Governors in State House on 30th Oct 2018

But in a brief answer to the reason behind their meeting at the Presidential Villa, Governor of Bayelsa State, Siriake Dickson who spoke on behalf of others simply said, “My colleagues and I came to have audience with the President to discuss issues pertinent to our country and also pertinent to our respective states.

“We had a robust and fruitful discussion with the president and he promised to look into it in anyway possible.”

When asked on the area of discussion, Governor Dickson who was flanked by his other colleagues said, “We don’t want to go into those details.”
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He further said that their meeting had nothing to do with either PDP or the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The Governors were, Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Siriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

However, there was insinuation that the meeting may not be unconnected to the recent Supreme Court judgement that ordered the federal government to adjust its share of proceeds from the sale of crude oil whenever the price exceeds $20 per barrel.

The landmark judgement according to industry expert, means more money for the federation in its production sharing contract with its joint venture contract multinational oil companies partners, a development they would also translate to extra funds for states, particularly the littoral states.

The order, which was made in a ruling in a suit filed by the Attorneys-General of Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom States, was a fall out of the terms of settlement between the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the plaintiffs.

The seven-man panel of the Supreme Court, which included the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Walter Onnoghen, in a unanimous ruling, ordered that the 13 per cent derivation that was due to the oil producing states be paid upon recovery, in accordance with Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Plaintiffs in the suit, the Attorneys-General of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Uwemedimo Nwoko; Bayelsa State, Mr. Wodu Kemasukde; and the Rivers State, Emmanuel Aguma (SAN), now deceased, had in November 2017 approached the court for interpretation of Section 16(1) of the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act in suit number SC964/2016 filed on their behalf by Mr. Lucius Nwosu (SAN).

The section requires the federal government to adjust the shares of the revenue accruable to the federation whenever the price of crude oil exceeds $20 per barrel.
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