|By Adejumo Adekunle
…Ex-Buhari aide says Supreme Court ruling unlikely to be reversed
…Calls for political and legislative solutions to defuse tensions
Former Special Adviser on Prosecution to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, has called on the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) to intervene as a neutral body in the intensifying dispute between Cross River and Akwa Ibom states over the ownership of 76 oil wells.
His appeal comes amid renewed tensions triggered by the Cross River State government’s dissatisfaction with a Supreme Court ruling delivered on May 12, 2012, which awarded ownership of the disputed oil wells to Akwa Ibom.
Despite the passage of over a decade since the apex court’s judgment, Governor Bassey Otu’s administration is reportedly considering a return to court, hoping to overturn the decision. However, Obono-Obla warned against such a move, stressing that litigation would only deepen divisions and offer little hope of success.
“As a lawyer, I strongly advocate for mediation and conciliation over litigation when resolving disputes,” he said. “Litigation, despite resulting in judgments, often fails to bring true closure. Even the victorious party may suffer a pyrrhic victory—winning legally but losing in spirit and relationships.”
The former presidential aide said that the revelation that Cross River now hosts 67 oil wells should not be used as a basis to relitigate the matter. Instead, he believes this development should prompt a political and legislative solution facilitated by neutral stakeholders like PANDEF.
“This is precisely why I oppose litigation as a means of resolving the current impasse between Cross River and Akwa Ibom,” he said. “Now is the time for a credible and neutral body like the Pan-Niger Delta Forum to step in as mediators.”
Obono-Obla clarified that his call for mediation is not a sign that Cross River has any legal grounds to challenge the Supreme Court ruling. “I maintain that Cross River State has no legal footing if it attempts to revisit a matter conclusively settled thirteen years ago,” he said.
He explained that the Supreme Court is cautious about reopening closed cases, especially when public policy supports the finality of judgments. “The Supreme Court exercises its discretionary jurisdiction with great caution. Therefore, I advocate for a two-pronged approach to resolving the issue: first, through political engagement, and second, via legislative intervention that incorporates the so-called ‘new evidence.’”
Obono-Obla also suggested that the National Assembly could pass laws to cushion the effects of the Supreme Court judgment and create a dignified path forward for Cross River State. He reiterated that PANDEF could play a key role in facilitating both political and legislative dialogues to reach a sustainable resolution.
