Odein Ajumogobia, former minister of state for petroleum resources, has
rubbished reports that he had agreed to represent Niger Delta militants in
a talk with the federal government.
The legal luminary said he does not know the masterminds of the bombings
of oil and gas facilities and that he had not offered to represent the
group in the proposed talks with Abuja..
Ajumogobia, said although he got a call from someone who claimed to stand
for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), but it
was a different conversation they had.
His words: ‘’My attention has been drawn to widespread reports in the
media claiming that I have agreed to participate in negotiations with the
Federal Government over the issue of attacks against oil installations in
the Niger Delta on behalf of some of the alleged perpetrators of these
actions or connected persons.
‘’ This is not so. I wish to make it absolutely clear that I do not know
the alleged perpetrators nor have I offered to serve as their
representative in prospective discussions with the Federal Government in
any capacity whatsoever.
‘’I was recently contacted by someone who claimed to represent the
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). In that
conversation the caller asked if I would be willing to participate in an
initiative to find ways to end the attacks on oil installations through
dialogue towards restoring peace and stability in the region.
‘’My brief response was that if the Federal Government was genuinely
interested in entering into discussions with credible parties who could
help to facilitate such a dialogue to halt the actions that were
undermining the social and economic stability of the region and the nation
I would readily participate.
‘’In such an event I would seek to articulate the proper interests of all
law abiding Nigerians generally and the ordinary people of the Niger Delta
States, in particular.
‘’I am not affiliated to or the official or legal representative of any
particular group and I am certainly not an advocate of the unstated
demands or actions of any insurgent organizations.’’
SGD. H. Odein Ajumogobia SAN