Aniefiok Christopher
Akwa Ibom Governor, Umo Eno, has reacted to allegations by a former governorship aspirant in the state, Senator James John Akpanudoedehe, over the controversial 76 oil wells dispute involving neighbouring Cross River State.
The Governor described such accusation as both misleading and disrespectful, adding that public criticism should be constructive rather than personal.
AkpanUdoedehe, a 2023 governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Akwa Ibom State, in a recent video that circulated widely on social media, warned that if the Governor Eno allowed Cross River State to “take over” the 76 oil wells, the people of Akwa Ibom would not forgive and would hold him accountable.’’
Speaking during the March edition of the monthly Covenant Service held at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Uyo, on Sunday, Governor Eno dismissed the claims as baseless and politically motivated.
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The governor accused some “old men and women” of creating online content to generate revenue instead of seeking constructive engagement with the government.
“Stop saying the governor does not pick phone calls. Am I your receptionist? That is even an insult. Who are you that I should pick your calls? Who is even talking?” he said.
Eno maintained that matters concerning oil wells and boundary issues are not handled through social media sensationalism, but through established legal and constitutional processes.
He called on those with genuine concerns to approach government through appropriate channels rather than stoking public anxiety.
The lingering dispute over the 76 oil wells has remained a sensitive issue in Akwa Ibom’s political discourse, given its implications for oil derivation revenue and the state’s economic stability.
While the governor did not provide fresh details on the legal status of the oil wells during the service, his remarks underscored a growing political tension between his administration and opposition voices over the management of state interests.
Akpanudoedehe criticises Gov Eno
Mr Akpanudoedehe revisited the 76 oil wells controversy, accusing a federal committee of compromise, warning Governor Eno against losing the wells.
He criticised the Akwa Ibom Governor, Umo Eno’s handling of the lingering controversy over Akwa Ibom’s 76 oil wells, warning that losing the asset would betray years of sacrifice by past leaders and the people of the state.
Mr Akpanudoedehe said the fight over the oil wells was part of a broader historic struggle for resource control in the Niger Delta, crediting past leaders for laying the foundation for Akwa Ibom’s oil wealth.
He listed former Governor of the defunct South-Eastern State, Udoakaha Esuene; former Chief of Air Staff, Nsikak Eduok; first civilian governor of Akwa Ibom, Akpan Isemin, and former Governor Victor Attah among those who played critical roles in the wealth accruing to the state.
“Mr Attah championed it. I carried it upon my head. It was as if the whole of the Niger Delta had left it to me. I carried it as a personal struggle on behalf of the Niger Delta. I fought so hard day and night; I slept with it, no doubt about it,” he said.
He also credited former federal lawmakers for their collective efforts. “I also have to thank my colleagues, who were senators with me; Udo Udoma, Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, and the rest… Akwa Ibom was in despair; it barely had money to pay salaries. It was that difficult.”
Mr Akpanudoedehe, who recently defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), narrated how he facilitated key meetings with former President Olusegun Obasanjo on resource control and the oil wells dispute.
“That is the forum that achieved…, that the president promised to send a bill to the National Assembly for a political solution,” he said, adding that the same engagement led to approval for the construction of the once-dangerous Ibagwa Bridge along Abak-Ikot Abasi Road.
“It was a death trap then; the president approved its construction. That’s what we did. This is true, and those who are still alive can testify to it.”
Mr Akpanudoedehe further said he facilitated discussions between the then permanent secretary in Akwa Ibom Ministry of Finance, Umana Okon Umana, and Mr Obasanjo over the disputed wells.
“That is my personal achievement. What I did for us to have these 76 oil wells… I came out to advise, let this not be taken away from us because of previous sacrifice.”
