Disputed Anambra oil well: ACF joins fray, backs Kogi

Posted on Thursday, September 20th, 2012

•Photo: Peter Obi, Anambra state Governor

By Baba Negedu, Reporter, Kaduna

Apex northern socio-cultural organization, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has thrown its weight behind Kogi state in its quest to wrest the disputed oil well from Anambra state.

This was the hand of fellowship extended to the state when Kogi indigenes under the aegis of Network of Kogi State Associations (NOKSA) yesterday stormed the headquarters of ACF in Kaduna to press home their legitimacy of the oil they said was discovery in their community

The oil field is presently being contended by both Kogi and Anambra States.

ACF assured that it will support the people of Kogi State in the fight towards recovery of what legitimately belong to them and ensure that they become the 10th oil producing states in Nigeria.

The ACF Chairman Aliko Muhammed gave the assurance after the group made their presentation and position known on the oil deposit in Kogi state to the body.

NOKSA led by the coordinator Chief Umar Aku Goodman had told ACF that the oil wells are located in Ibaji local government area of Kogi State thereby debunking the claim by the Anambra State government.

He said President Goodluck Jonathan referring to Anambra State as the 10th oil producing state in Nigeria as opposed to Kogi state is very wrong and should be redressed.

According to the Kogi group, “it is on record that the said exploration activities leading to the successful access to the crude oil were carried out within the following communities in Ibaji local government area of Kogi State. These communities are Odeke, Ihile, Echeno, Anocha, Omale, Uchuchu and other communities in the local government area”.

The group also emphasized that Kogi State does not share boundary with Anambra State instead at a distance with Enugu State and wondered why Anambra State could jump over Enugu State to own location 1 of the oil well in Kogi State.

It also stated that, “aside the field tracing and demarcation, there exist a communiqué signed by the three respected Royal fathers representing the three States namely Kogi, Enugu and Anambra States as at 13th April 1994 which clearly indicated that the area where the oil wells are located belongs to Kogi State,”

The Kogi group therefore urged the ACF to examine critically the issues presented before them with a view to prevailing on the Federal Government to reconsider its stance and declare Kogi State as an oil producing state.

It also appealed to the northern umbrella group to reach out to all well meaning Nigerians and “most importantly President Jonathan to right the wrong which it said is a product of well calculated deception that is being perpetrated against Kogi State to create unnecessary tension”.

ACF in his remarks by the Chairman said, “certainly you can count on the support of the ACF in the respect of the Oil well, know that the boundary commission which is a Federal government commission knows the truth and everybody will rely on them, so if there is oil well in this place, everybody knows where it is, the local government, zone and so on.

“We will certainly support you and anything that is northern; we will ensure that it doesn’t go anywhere, part of the reason is the fact that the oil company is from Anambra State and the got the license. We will certainly work with you, support you and also make sure that nobody takes away the oil from the north.

“Other states have always said they are the one who have oil, now the north has oil and therefore the northerners are going to be considered as an oil state, be rest assures that we will support you and that your oil well cannot be taken away,” the ACF boss said.

http://dailyindependentnig.com/2012/09/disputed-anambra-oil-well-acf-joins-fray-backs-kogi/

To d frontpage pls.

So kogi is North na.
So many lazy folks roaming in Nigeria.
I don't wanna hear any middle belt crap!
Nigeria is North, SE,SW,SS.

They should be treated as northerners.

Anyways, as long as Anambra is an oil producing state, have the refinery in the state and all the infrastructures and installations no wahala.
They should take their fight to Abuja.


One thing is always constant in Nigeria, you can't hold the Igboman down.

The plot thickens

BlackPikiN: So kogi is North na.
So many lazy folks roaming in Nigeria.
I don't wanna hear any middle belt crap!
Nigeria is North, SE,SW,SS.

They should be treated as northerners.

Anyways, as long as Anambra is an oil producing state, have the refinery in the state and all the infrastructures and installations no wahala.
They should take their fight to Abuja.


One thing is always constant in Nigeria, you can't hold the Igboman down.

^^^When you think of middle belt states that tend to distance themselves from this whole 'one north' thing, you think of Benue and Plateau only; other ones like Kogi and Kwara still have a lot in common with the north (religion, traditional rulership, language, etc).

The group also emphasized that Kogi State does not share boundary with Anambra State instead at a distance with Enugu State and wondered why Anambra State could jump over Enugu State to own location 1 of the oil well in Kogi State.

If the highlighted part is true, Kogi has a good case.

.

Anambra did not learn amy lesson from the last civil war , i hope we wont be having the case of abandoned oil wells

So Kogi does not share boundary with Anambra?
The extent people can lie just to make a point of fighting a lost cause.

Onlytruth: So Kogi does not share boundary with Anambra?
The extent people can lie just to make a point of fighting a lost cause.

i tire for the statement oo , i wonder what they teach in school these days, anyway emeka anyaoku should clean up his mess and i hope him and other anambra men learn from this. invest in your home states before venturing elsewhere. i dont see myself investing anywhere outside my home state if my home state have not arrived.

Kogi did well by establishing once and for all that they are NORTHERNERS. So no more Middle belt crap.

I keep telling people that Nigeria is THREE regions, and NOTHING can ever change that.
Worst case scenario, Nigeria will break into THREE countries, NEVER MORE.

He who has ears let him hear.

It is at times like these that certain truths are "allowed" out.

ACF is the unseen hand using Kogi to lay claims on Anambra oil and not the other way round.But i wonder how they hope to pull this one off. That border has never been changed since Independence in 1960.It has always been the same border between the eastern region and the northern region.How they hope to change it now to claim Anambra's oil will be very interesting.I can only advice the youths to remain very vigilant and kill anything that trespass into their land.

cjrane: ACF is the unseen hand using Kogi to lay claims on Anambra oil and not the other way round.But i wonder how they hope to pull this one off. That border has never been changed since Independence in 1960.It has always been the same border between the eastern region and the northern region.How they hope to change it now to claim Anambra's oil will be very interesting.I can only advice the youths to remain very vigilant and kill anything that trespass into their land.

They wiil go resurect Justice Mamman Nasir so that he can re-adjust the boundries so that the whole Anambra will be carved into " the north"

This ACF people are just bunch of trouble makers, where was NOKSA and ACF when the oil deposit was undiscovered? Fmr Kogi State Gov Audu Abubakar was busy looting and celebrating mediocrity while on seat, Ibrahim Idris was busy acquiring wives (13 of them as at the last count) while their counterpart were toiling to make the discoveries. Now that reality has dawn on them, an oil producing status has now become a prized possession even without lifting a finger to qualify for such...

...And the North always wins. Sorry Anambra...lol

Where are the Yorubas who are claiming Kogi? I bet that they will lie low.
Can you imagine them distorting an established fact that Anambra shares border with Kogi? They knows that Nigerians are mentally and intellectually lazy and can never bother to look at the map. Why is north always looking for trouble?

Western Kogi is Yorubaland, yes. But the lands in question are from a different ethnic group in Kogi.

So for a variety of reasons, not clear how the matter really concerns us.

btw...why are you crying "Yoruba?"

Shouldn't you be facing the north who is trying to deal with you?

History seems to repeat itself

PROUD-IGBO:


^^^When you think of middle belt states that tend to distance themselves from this whole 'one north' thing, you think of Benue and Plateau only; other ones like Kogi and Kwara still have a lot in common with the north (religion, traditional rulership, language, etc).

90% of indigenes of Benue and Plateau speak hausa together with their native language.It is only when it comes to politics that you hear Middle Belt but they all are Northerners.

they are wasting their time them parasite in few months you will not hear a word any longer

take dat: 90% of indigenes of Benue and Plateau speak hausa together with their native language.It is only when it comes to politics that you hear Middle Belt but they all are Northerners.

stop lying dude! the benue people who speak hausa are the ones that schooled in hausa speaking states and the ones that stayed long in hausa speaking states! plateau people speak a common hausa due to the fact that plateau is made up of several small ethnic groups hence the use of hausa as a common mode of communication!

asha 80: Disputed Anambra oil well: ACF joins fray, backs Kogi

Posted on Thursday, September 20th, 2012

•Photo: Peter Obi, Anambra state Governor

By Baba Negedu, Reporter, Kaduna

Apex northern socio-cultural organization, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has thrown its weight behind Kogi state in its quest to wrest the disputed oil well from Anambra state.

This was the hand of fellowship extended to the state when Kogi indigenes under the aegis of Network of Kogi State Associations (NOKSA) yesterday stormed the headquarters of ACF in Kaduna to press home their legitimacy of the oil they said was discovery in their community

The oil field is presently being contended by both Kogi and Anambra States.

ACF assured that it will support the people of Kogi State in the fight towards recovery of what legitimately belong to them and ensure that they become the 10th oil producing states in Nigeria.

The ACF Chairman Aliko Muhammed gave the assurance after the group made their presentation and position known on the oil deposit in Kogi state to the body.

NOKSA led by the coordinator Chief Umar Aku Goodman had told ACF that the oil wells are located in Ibaji local government area of Kogi State thereby debunking the claim by the Anambra State government.

He said President Goodluck Jonathan referring to Anambra State as the 10th oil producing state in Nigeria as opposed to Kogi state is very wrong and should be redressed.

According to the Kogi group, “it is on record that the said exploration activities leading to the successful access to the crude oil were carried out within the following communities in Ibaji local government area of Kogi State. These communities are Odeke, Ihile, Echeno, Anocha, Omale, Uchuchu and other communities in the local government area”.

The group also emphasized that Kogi State does not share boundary with Anambra State instead at a distance with Enugu State and wondered why Anambra State could jump over Enugu State to own location 1 of the oil well in Kogi State.

It also stated that, “aside the field tracing and demarcation, there exist a communiqué signed by the three respected Royal fathers representing the three States namely Kogi, Enugu and Anambra States as at 13th April 1994 which clearly indicated that the area where the oil wells are located belongs to Kogi State,”

The Kogi group therefore urged the ACF to examine critically the issues presented before them with a view to prevailing on the Federal Government to reconsider its stance and declare Kogi State as an oil producing state.

It also appealed to the northern umbrella group to reach out to all well meaning Nigerians and “most importantly President Jonathan to right the wrong which it said is a product of well calculated deception that is being perpetrated against Kogi State to create unnecessary tension”.

ACF in his remarks by the Chairman said, “certainly you can count on the support of the ACF in the respect of the Oil well, know that the boundary commission which is a Federal government commission knows the truth and everybody will rely on them, so if there is oil well in this place, everybody knows where it is, the local government, zone and so on.


“We will certainly support you and anything that is northern; we will ensure that it doesn’t go anywhere, part of the reason is the fact that the oil company is from Anambra State and the got the license. We will certainly work with you, support you and also make sure that nobody takes away the oil from the north.

“Other states have always said they are the one who have oil, now the north has oil and therefore the northerners are going to be considered as an oil state, be rest assures that we will support you and that your oil well cannot be taken away,” the ACF boss said.

http://dailyindependentnig.com/2012/09/disputed-anambra-oil-well-acf-joins-fray-backs-kogi/

Why on earth is this not on the Front Page If it were Tonto Dike we 'd have found this on the front page... mtscheuwwww

They should just take this to Abuja if they believe they have a valid case. They've gone everywhere to Anambra, to North, what's holding them back from heading to Abuja. The extent people would go to steal another person's property. Bring out everything to support your community and head straight to Abuja rather than running to the media disturbing us all. Propaganda can only get you so far, the next is bringing out documents that can support those propaganda and claiming

Well Kogi we'll continue to watch, let's see how you manage steal am.

htajz: i tire for the statement oo , i wonder what they teach in school these days, anyway emeka anyaoku should clean up his mess and i hope him and other anambra men learn from this. invest in your home states before venturing elsewhere. i dont see myself investing anywhere outside my home state if my home state have not arrived.

My sentiment exactly. Serves him right.

LEARN people. Learn.

What is middlebelt again? LMAO.

All these e-ignoramuses sef.

bayooooooo:

If the highlighted part is true, Kogi has a good case.

It is not true. Kogi shares boundary with Anambra.

ekt_bear: btw...why are you crying "Yoruba?"

Shouldn't you be facing the north who is trying to deal with you?

History seems to repeat itself

No one is dealing with us. We are not losing sleep over this issue. You can distort the facts on media to whip up sentiment. What prevents them from taking their case to the court? Why involve ACF in this issue? Cos they have nothing to prove.
Hope Yorubas wont sit on the fence like vulture waiting for the perfect moment to pounce and feed on the caracass. At the moment, North is boldily claiming Kogi and the Yoruba expansionists are eerily silent. Yoruba expansionist should henceforth retire their claim of some part of Kogi belonging to the Southwest.

Geomac:

It is not true. Kogi shares boundary with Anambra.

Various maps online show different positions of Anambra and Enugu states with reference to Kogi ..Reference the maps in my previous post

BY DAN ONWUKWE

A presidential visit to any state of the country is seen beyond an ordinary visit. It is not a courtesy call. It is usually a visit with a difference. In modern politics, a president’s visit to any part of the country outside the Federal Capitals Territory is an informal mechanism to gauge the feelings of the people and where he stands in their reckoning, their expectations, and how he has measured up in that scale. In our country today, a president leverages on such visits to commission crucial projects.

In the last one year alone, President Goodluck Jonathan has visited Anambra State twice. It is not for nothing. By his own admission, the president said he feels more at home in Anambra than even in his own South-South region.

Beyond that, in the words of Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, “Anambra is the symbol of entrepreneurial activism in the country.” Chief Emeka Anyaoku, a renown diplomat and former Commonwealth Secretary- General, puts the attraction that Anambra holds for visitors this way; “there is a demonstrable evidence that governance is working in Anambra, and there is something to see and something to appreciate in terms of development of the state.” That perhaps was what brought President Jonathan back to Anambra state last month, August 30. So much was lined up for him to commission.

All of them represent a new Sunrise for the State. These included the Onitsha Inland River Port, SABMiller Breweries, the brand new Governor’s Lodge in Onitsha. The most important of all was the commissioning of Orient Petroleum Refinery. There is something about Orient Petroleum that is not attracting pretenders to the throne. It has a sweet smell.

The stakes in the project are high. The President recognized this when he inaugurated it. He said: “Anambra has joined the league of oil producing states… and history is not just being made in Anambra state but in the whole country, because Orient has made a mark by partnering with government to come out with this revolution. This will give investors both within and outside the country the confidence to invest in our sedimentary basins.”

The President who described this development as “good news,” commended those behind Orient Petroleum for pioneering inland crude oil production in the country. It is so because orient has found a mix of people, a bright purple team to bring about the desired change, a clean break, a new sunrise, fresh enough to inspire markets in the downstream petroleum sector.

On its board are people with the right blend of experience and newness that can connect with people anywhere, everywhere, in the world. These are Chief Emeka Anyaoku who is its pioneer chairman, former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme as Vice Chairman and super-diplomat, Chief Arthur Mbanefo. Its management is led by Chief Emeka Nwawka, an astute engineer and administrator.

Looking at the promise of Orient Petroleum, it is no surprise that challenges will come. Just before the company begins to refine the products for exports and reap the fruits of its labour, like the “disputed” child” which king Solomon adjudicated upon, claimnants want the oil-fields facility located in Aguleri-Otu, in Anambra East council to be shared.

They are aware of the dividends awaiting Anambra, at least, the extra revenue from the 13 per cent derivation fund, which of course, with the kind of astute management style of Governor Obi, Anambra could be in hot pursuit of the billionaire states in the Niger Delta region. Now, these are the spoilers: Enugu and Kogi states have thrown the hearts into the oilfields, spoiling for war, laying claims to the oil. While Sullivan Chime’s government is subtle in its claims and understandably so, Kogi State is contending that part of the oilfield is located in Ibaji land of the state.

The Kogi state government has joined issues through a statement by governor Idris Wada’s media aide, Mr. Jacob Idi. Anyaoku admitted that the basin may have cut across the states of Enugu and Kogi, what is not in dispute is that the bulk of the deposits are right within Anambra territory.

The fun to this dispute, and which makes the claims of Kogi and Enugu states look very puerile is: where have they been all these years when the “baby” was “conceived”, “delivered,” and now is been nurtured to maturity before they burst out like a silent mystery to lay claim as co-owers of the “child”? Events, the say, are significant when they are looked backed on. So is the history of Orient Petroleum Resources Plc. It was conceived during the administration of Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju in 2001. That is eleven years ago. It was allocated oilfields domiciled in Anambra. That again was not in dispute.

Though Mbadinuju’s administration reportedly made no direct financial contribution to the operation of the company, Dr. Chris Ngige government (2003-2006) did invest about N100 million in the project. It was Anambra money. But the company moved fast, so fast with trainloads of financial investment by the present administration of Mr. Peter Obi, with an astonishing investment of N4.4 bn. This changed the dynamics of Orient Petroleum and has bolstered investors’ confidence in the project.

And those who were asleep when the hard work was done have suddenly woken up to scramble for the harvest of the fruits they did not plant. Obi’s administration is fully aware that such huge financial stimulus could be avehicle for launching Orient Petroleum into a big continental player. It takes vision, competence and confidence to see the promise in future.

That, of course, triggered a broad and well-founded confidence that propelled other investors to invest in that venture that made its commissioning on August 30, by the President, a reality. From 2006, when Governor Obi visited the site of the refinery several times and laid the foundation, all these claimants were around, and they didn’t interfere until now that the drilling of oil is about to begin. None of the states now claiming ownership realized it was necessary to put at least a seed money into that venture.

The claims by Kogi and Enugu states are pure pernicious propaganda politics orchestrated to rubbish the handwork, sacrifices and investments of those behind Orient Petroleum. Do you reap where you did not sow? This is a difficult hole that these states laying claims to the orient oil fields have dug themselves into. In this country where politics has often been used more for bad rather than for good, don’t rule out the fac that these moves by Kogi and Enugu states, indeed any other states laying claims to the oilfields, they may be doing so as an alibi to foment trouble and cause socio-economic discontent. Don’t also rule out some mischief makers behind the sudden awaking by Kogi and Enugu States.

Behind the veil of this controversy lies the issue of resource control and a feeble attempt to diminish the good works of Peter Obi who is acting forcefully and boldly to realize the dream of the Orient refinery which is in line with the government’s agenda of job creation and the entrepreneur spirit which has reached a critical mass in Anambra state. Creative individuals are driving it.

These innovators are thriving in Anambra largely because they believe that businesses do offer scale, while good governance, good leadership are the engines that drive the citizen sector. Orient Petroleum typifies this spirit of the citizen sector which Anambra has proved over the years to have in abundance.

With an entepreneur as Obi at the helm in Anambra state, he knows what it takes in business terms to retool a firm and transform its supply chain. One does not see these claiminants dropping their agitation any time soon. But is makes sense that the relevant authorities responsible for making the decisions for such disputed issues to do so quickly with clarity of purpose so that Anambra and indeed, the promoters of Orient Petroleum can move on the next state of their plan, towards making Anambra an economic giant among oil producing states.

ACM10:
Hope Yorubas wont sit on the fence like vulture waiting for the perfect moment to pounce and feed on the caracass.

That is simply the wisest strategy. Timing is critical...it is the lesson of any (successful) predator. Ask the wolf, bear or panther about timing.

At the moment, North is boldily claiming Kogi and the Yoruba expansionists are eerily silent. Yoruba expansionist should henceforth retire their claim of some part of Kogi belonging to the Southwest.

Well, the North may have a claim to the parts of Kogi which went to visit the ACF. Who knows. But those who did so aren't from the western part of Kogi. They are from the part near Anambra.

In any case, nice try...but ... rather than crying over someone else's house which is not yet on fire, why not attend to your house burning down?

ak47mann: BY DAN ONWUKWE


Beyond that, in the words of Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, “Anambra is the symbol of entrepreneurial activism in the country.”


The fun to this dispute, and which makes the claims of Kogi and Enugu states look very puerile is: where have they been all these years when the “baby” was “conceived”, “delivered,” and now is been nurtured to maturity before they burst out like a silent mystery to lay claim as co-owers of the “child”? Events, the say, are significant when they are looked backed on. So is the history of Orient Petroleum Resources Plc. It was conceived during the administration of Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju in 2001. That is eleven years ago. It was allocated oilfields domiciled in Anambra. That again was not in dispute.

And those who were asleep when the hard work was done have suddenly woken up to scramble for the harvest of the fruits they did not plant. Obi’s administration is fully aware that such huge financial stimulus could be avehicle for launching Orient Petroleum into a big continental player. It takes vision, competence and confidence to see the promise in future.


The claims by Kogi and Enugu states are pure pernicious propaganda politics orchestrated to rubbish the handwork, sacrifices and investments of those behind Orient Petroleum. Do you reap where you did not sow? This is a difficult hole that these states laying claims to the orient oil fields have dug themselves into. In this country where politics has often been used more for bad rather than for good, don’t rule out the fac that these moves by Kogi and Enugu states, indeed any other states laying claims to the oilfields, they may be doing so as an alibi to foment trouble and cause socio-economic discontent. Don’t also rule out some mischief makers behind the sudden awaking by Kogi and Enugu States.

If I may ask, what exactly does Enugu and Kogi state want? Ok you own the oil wells but not the refinery, we simply strike an agreement like Sudan and South Sudan. And by the way, the what were these guys doing all these years? 11 years is no joke ooooo, Kogi has now brought the political angle into the equation, NEVA EVA should anywhere bring up that Middle Belt nonsense again o! Like someone earlier in this thread, we have only 4geopolitical zones in Nigeria: North, SS,SE,SW... Shikena