Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed the Federal Government’s claim that the long-running OPL 245 dispute has been resolved, insisting that the matter remains before the courts.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Atiku described the position of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration as misleading, citing a pre-action notice by Malabu Oil as evidence that the dispute is still ongoing.
He warned that excluding a major stakeholder from the process raises serious concerns about due process, noting that several related cases are currently pending before the Supreme Court and the Federal High Court.
According to him, it is “troubling” that Malabu, a key stakeholder in the oil block, was neither consulted nor involved in any negotiation or settlement process, adding that sidelining critical parties reflects “recklessness” rather than strength.
Atiku also raised alarm over reports suggesting that up to 30 percent of Nigeria’s Joint Venture assets under the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited could be sold.
He described the reports as concerning, warning that any such move carried out without transparency would amount to “the quiet auctioning of Nigeria’s future.”
The former vice president further called on industry groups, including the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, to remain vigilant and resist what he termed opaque dealings.
The development comes amid the Federal Government’s recent announcement claiming to have resolved the OPL 245 dispute after over a decade of legal battles.