Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has been commended and for securing another land mark court victory against Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria for the state.
In a release issued by Hon. Dumnamene Dekor, the member representing Khana/Gokan in the House of Representatives, he said, “The court judgement in the Suit No.PHC/652/CS/2020 delivered by Hon Justice Charles Nwogu on Thursday, August 13, 2020, is a further proof of Governor’s Wike’s concern for the people and firm belief in the judiciary as the true interpreter of conflicting constitutional matters which has earned the judiciary the toga as the last hope of the common man.
“The need to approach the court over the failure of SPDC to obey the earlier judgements of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/PH/231/2001, CA/PH/396/2012 and at the Supreme Court in Suit No. SC/731/2017 concerning the interests accrued and not paid from the fixed landed assets in kidney Island Base, Port Harcourt and those of lands in Oil Mining Lease No.11 (OML 11) sold to Rivers State has further demonstrated Governor Wike as a law abiding citizen who believes in the rule of law and is ready to pursue any case aimed at securing that which belongs to the state to its logical conclusion.
“By this judgement the SPDC is duty bound to ensure that the earlier orders of the superior courts are executed to the advantage of the Rivers State government (Claimant) which have been affirmed to be consistent with Section 287(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
“I therefore, commend Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for refusing to be intimidated and for his firmness in fighting for the possessory and title rights due the State for buying the assets including pecuniary accruals in respect of the fixed assets comprised in Kidney Island Base, Port Harcourt and interests comprised in OML 11 which SPDC (defendant) has refused to pay.
“The judgement has again confirmed the various ways the rights and benefits of the State were being undermined by multinational oil companies who have always taken the peaceful disposition and silence of Rivers people for granted until Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike decided to confront the lingering defendant’s defiant appropriation of these assets despite completed sale of the assets head-on.
“If the previous administrations had exhibited same vision and tenacity against similar agencies and companies by whatever name called, the infrastructural challenges of the state would have been far less, but thank God we have an amiable, visionary and people-oriented leader like Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike who has insisted that it will be no longer business as usual not only to multinational oil companies but also to all government ministries, departments and agencies.
“I appreciably thank Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for the court victory against SPDC and pledge my unalloyed support to him as always, in his bid to leave Rivers State economically stronger by plugging all leakages of government’s sources of income and wish to call all concerned organizations doing business in the state to co-operate with the Wike administration in the interest of the people of Rivers State,” the federal lawmaker said.
Friday, August 14, 2020.
