Reuben Abati Urges Presidential Intervention in Festering Cross River-Akwa Ibom Oil Well Dispute Amid New Revenue Remittance Rules

Reuben Abati analyzes the 76 oil well dispute between Cross River and Akwa Ibom, calling for Tinubu's intervention following Executive Order No. 9 of 2026.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 10, 2026, 9:51 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Newsdiaryonline

The 76 Oil Wells: A Legacy of the Bakassi Cession

The roots of the current friction between Cross River and Akwa Ibom states lie in the 2002 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that ceded the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon. This decision effectively stripped Cross River of its littoral status, leading to the 2012 Supreme Court ruling that awarded 76 disputed oil wells to Akwa Ibom. Reuben Abati notes that while the Supreme Court has twice affirmed this ownership, Cross River State, under Governor Bassey Otu, is now presenting new technical mappings and inter-agency reports to argue that the previous decisions were based on "wrong information" and a flawed "Technical Option" by the National Boundary Commission.

Executive Order No. 9 and the Fight for Derivation

The stakes for this territorial dispute have been significantly raised by the Tinubu administration’s recent fiscal reforms. Executive Order No. 9 of 2026 invokes Section 162 of the Constitution, requiring that all royalties, taxes, and profits from oil and gas be paid directly into the Federation Account, bypassing previous deductions by the NNPCL. This move increases the pool of funds available for the 13% derivation principle, making every oil well a critical asset for state revenue. Abati argues that most states remain "unproductive" and dependent on these federal allocations, fueling the "greed and ego" behind the current boundary tensions.

A Clash of Governors within the APC

Despite both Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River and Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom belonging to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the rhetoric between the two states has sharpened. Governor Eno remains adamant that the Supreme Court’s word is final, accusing the "other side" of cooking up propaganda. Conversely, Governor Otu insists that Cross River is not landlocked and that the loss of Bakassi for national peace should not have resulted in the loss of the state's economic lifeline. Abati warns that this "oily matter" could potentially lead to communal conflicts or militancy if not addressed through high-level public policy dialogue.