Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has commended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for successfully resolving the protracted Soku Oil Well dispute that has long strained relations between the two neighboring states.
Diri made this revelation during a Yuletide visit to Governor Fubara in Port Harcourt on Saturday, emphasizing the newfound harmony between Rivers and Bayelsa.
He highlighted that since Fubara’s emergence as Rivers State Governor, both states have enjoyed unprecedented peace, including a mutual agreement to restore the pre-crisis status quo in contentious areas.
“Rivers and Bayelsa are one,” Diri stated. “Since you came on board, both states have been peaceful. Now we have understanding even in areas where we had issues.
“For instance, the Soku oil well. We have agreed to go back to the status quo before the crisis, and there is peace now. That matter is out of court.”
The Soku gas processing plant, valued at N25 billion, has been a subject of dispute between Rivers and Bayelsa States since 1996.
Governor Diri’s remarks signal a significant step forward in fostering unity and cooperation between the two states.