CALABAR — The Cross River State Businessmen’s Forum has rejected claims by Senate President Godswill Akpabio that Cross River State is landlocked, insisting that its littoral status remains intact despite longstanding disputes over its coastal boundaries.
The forum described Akpabio’s position as “geographically inaccurate” and called for discussions about the state’s maritime status to be guided by physical geography and certified federal data.
Akpabio had reportedly described Cross River as a non-littoral state during a recent event marking the 39th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State, prompting a response from the business community in Calabar.
In a statement issued in Calabar and signed by its President, Chief Henry Onwe, the forum said it was concerned that such a claim had come from the President of the Senate, whom it said should base his statements on facts and neutrality.
“As leaders of the organised private sector, we refuse to accept such claims from the nation’s Senate President who ought to speak based on facts and neutrality,” Onwe said.
Forum cites four reasons for Cross River’s littoral status
The business forum outlined four key arguments to support its position that Cross River remains a coastal state, despite the legal and administrative disputes surrounding its maritime boundaries and offshore oil resources.
First, it pointed to the presence of the Nigerian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command in Calabar, which it said underscores the state’s longstanding maritime significance.
Second, the forum cited what it described as the re-accreditation of Cross River as a littoral state by relevant federal agencies following geopolitical reviews.
Third, Onwe referenced the physical existence of the Cross River Estuary, which discharges into the Bight of Bonny in the Atlantic Ocean, as well as islands that the forum said extend into international waters.
The fourth argument concerned the 2012 Supreme Court judgment on the allocation of offshore oil wells. The forum maintained that the ruling did not physically erase Cross River’s coastline, arguing that the legal dispute over oil revenue should be distinguished from the state’s geographical characteristics.
Federal agencies conducting fresh mapping
The forum also highlighted ongoing efforts by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to address historical anomalies through GPS-based mapping and technical assessments.
According to Onwe, scientific work associated with the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport has identified oil wellheads within what the forum considers Cross River’s coastal boundaries.
The group said the ongoing technical exercises should be allowed to proceed, stressing that decisions concerning the state’s maritime status and resource claims should be based on verifiable geographical information and official federal records.
Cross River’s renewed campaign for littoral recognition has been linked to its longstanding dispute over offshore oil wells and the revenue associated with them. The state’s claims have also been the subject of legal proceedings following the transfer of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon and the subsequent Supreme Court decision on offshore oil-well allocation.
Forum backs Governor Otu, urges neutrality
The businessmen’s forum declared its support for Governor Bassey Otu’s efforts to secure recognition of Cross River’s littoral status, describing the issue as important to the state’s economic interests and maritime development ambitions.
It also called on political leaders, government institutions and the media to approach the dispute with neutrality and avoid relying solely on political statements.
The forum urged stakeholders to consider physical geography alongside certified federal data, arguing that the state’s maritime status should be determined through scientific assessments and relevant official processes.
The renewed exchange comes amid continuing efforts by Cross River to strengthen its case for recognition as a littoral state and pursue opportunities connected to offshore resources and the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport.
