{"id":126251,"date":"2026-03-23T07:20:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T06:20:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=126251"},"modified":"2026-03-23T07:20:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T06:20:45","slug":"atiku-faults-fg-over-unresolved-opl-dispute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/atiku-faults-fg-over-unresolved-opl-dispute\/","title":{"rendered":"Atiku Faults FG Over Unresolved OPL Dispute"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">By Godswill Michael<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Media Office of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the federal government over what it described as misleading claims regarding the resolution of the long-running OPL 245 oil block dispute, insisting that the matter remains far from settled.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the media office of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said recent legal developments, including a pre-action notice by Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, have exposed what it termed \u201cpremature and misleading\u201d pronouncements by the Federal Government.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The statement specifically faulted the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, for allegedly presenting a \u201cfinal resolution\u201d of the dispute, noting that multiple cases concerning OPL 245 are still pending before the courts, including the Supreme Court and the Federal High Court.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the Office, the pre-action notice issued by Malabu Oil and Gas Limited through its counsel challenges the Federal Government\u2019s narrative and underscores that key stakeholders were excluded from any purported settlement process.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cIt is now clear that the matter is far from resolved and remains the subject of multiple subsisting legal proceedings,\u201d the statement said, adding that sidelining a principal stakeholder such as Malabu raises \u201cserious questions about the legality, transparency, and integrity\u201d of any claimed agreement.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The office argued that the development reflects a broader pattern of governance under the Tinubu administration, which it accused of prioritising political optics over due process and institutional accountability.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The OPL 245 oil block, one of Nigeria\u2019s most lucrative offshore assets, has been at the centre of legal and international controversies for over two decades.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Originally awarded to Malabu Oil and Gas Limited in 1998, the block became the subject of protracted disputes involving the Nigerian government, multinational oil companies, and competing legal claims.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The controversy gained global attention following a 2011 deal in which oil giants Shell and Eni paid over $1 billion for rights to the block, funds that were later alleged to have been improperly distributed. The transaction triggered investigations and court cases in multiple jurisdictions, including Italy and the United Kingdom, although some of the international cases have since been resolved in favour of the companies.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite these developments, litigation within Nigeria has persisted, with Malabu maintaining claims to the asset and challenging subsequent agreements involving the Federal Government.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Concerns Over Transparency and Process<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Atiku Media Office expressed concern that any declaration of resolution without the involvement of all critical parties and without judicial conclusion undermines due process and public trust.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It warned that presenting disputed agreements as final settlements could create legal uncertainties and expose the country to further litigation risks, particularly in a sector as strategic as oil and gas.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The statement also linked the OPL 245 controversy to wider concerns about transparency in the management of Nigeria\u2019s oil assets, calling on stakeholders, including industry unions, to remain vigilant.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cThe Nigerian people deserve a transparent and accountable process in the management of national resources,\u201d the statement added.<\/div>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Godswill Michael The Media Office of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the federal government over what it described as misleading claims regarding the resolution of the long-running&hellip;<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":119641,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-126251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - 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