gavel.
Bayelsa State government has approached the Supreme
Court asking for an order stopping the Federal Government over the
payment of monthly statutory allocation from Soku oil wells to
Rivers State.
In a suit filed in Abuja, the Bayelsa State Government is
invoking the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, which
enables a state government to sue the Federal Government directly
at the apex court.
A Federal High Court had earlier in December 2019 ruled that
Rivers State owns the disputed Soku oil wells located in Akuku-Toru
Local Government Area of Rivers State.
In a judgment in Suit Number FHC/ABJ/CS/984/19, the
Attorney-General of Rivers State versus National Boundary
Commission, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court
declared that after examining all the documents from relevant
Government agencies and facts before the court, the Soku Oil
Wells/fields belong to Rivers State.
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Bayelsa State in its suit against the Federal Government however
claims that it stands to lose billions of naira accruable to it if
the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) complies with
the judgement and pays the allocation to Rivers State.
Bayelsa State is also seeking an interlocutory injunction
against Akwa Ibom state asking the Supreme Court to stop the
Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission from
withholding its statutory allocation or deducting it in favour of
Akwa Ibom State.
Although no date has yet been fixed for the hearing, the
Attorney General of Bayelsa State Biriyai Dambo stressed the
importance of the suit.
Read more https://swordpress.com.ng/2020/09/17/soku-oil-wells-bayelsa-govt-sues-federal-government/