By Solomon OKPO
The categorical rebuttal by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) over reports of imminent oil well reallocation between Akwa Ibom State and Cross River State exposes a deeper national problem: the reckless politicisation of sensitive fiscal matters in the age of viral misinformation.
Let us be clear. Oil well ownership is not a marketplace rumour to be traded on primetime television or amplified through anonymous social media handles. It is a constitutional matter with direct implications for federal allocation, state revenues, and socio-economic stability. Any suggestion that such a process has been concluded when the Commission itself confirms it has not, amounts to avoidable public deception.
The report aired by ARISE News may have triggered the frenzy, but the real damage lies in how quickly unverified narratives metastasised online. According to RMAFC Chairman, M. B. Shehu, the Commission has only received a draft report from an inter-agency committee.
That draft has been forwarded to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the National Boundary Commission (NBC), and the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF) for technical scrutiny. This is procedure. This is governance. This is how institutions are meant to function.
The attempt to frame an unfinished administrative review as a concluded territorial concession is not only premature, it is dangerous.
Oil derivation remains a lifeline for producing states. Any whisper of ceding oil wells instantly inflames emotions, heightens inter-state suspicion, and fuels political opportunism. It can destabilise investor confidence and erode trust in federal institutions. That is why restraint, accuracy, and professionalism are not optional, they are mandatory.
What is even more troubling is the emerging ecosystem of digital misinformation. When a state lacks strong institutional media voices yet appears quick to empower online agitators to circulate fabricated narratives on such a volatile issue, it reflects a troubling priority misalignment. Governance should invest in credible information architecture, not viral outrage machinery.
This is not about silencing debate. It is about insisting that debate be anchored in verified facts. If there are historical grievances or boundary ambiguities between Akwa Ibom and Cross River, the constitutional pathway exists to address them. That pathway runs through technical validation, legal interpretation, and presidential action—not Facebook headlines and WhatsApp broadcasts.
RMAFC has done the right thing by speaking early and firmly. But the Commission must go further. It should proactively publish periodic updates on the review process to prevent information vacuums. In today’s media climate, silence is often interpreted as consent to speculation.
Nigeria cannot afford a future where fiscal federalism is negotiated in comment sections. Institutions must lead with clarity, and media platforms must elevate verification above velocity.
Oil wells are coordinates on maps, yes, but they are also coordinates of trust in the federation. Mishandling either carries consequences.
The message is simple: let the law run its course. Anything else is noise.
© Solomon OKPO is a political analyst, media/security consultant writes from Uyo.
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