Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said the pre-action notice issued by Malabu Oil and Gas Limited concerning the OPL 245 raises concern over transparency in the management of the nation’s oil sector.
Atiku, in a statement issued by his media office, accused the Federal Government of misleading the country about the final resolution of the long-running OPL 245 dispute, describing what happened “as nothing more than political theatrics.”
The former vice president stated that contrary to the official pronouncements by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, of the conclusion of the matter, “It is now clear that the matter is far from resolved and remains the subject of multiple subsisting legal proceedings, including cases before the Supreme Court and the Federal High Court.”
He described as troubling the revelation that Malabu, a principal stakeholder with longstanding legal and equitable interests in OPL 245, was neither consulted nor involved in any purported negotiation or settlement process.
“This raises fundamental questions about the legality, transparency, and integrity of the so-called “Resolution Agreement” reportedly executed at the presidential villa,” Atiku said.
The former vice president said a government that sidelines critical stakeholders, disregards pending judicial processes, and proceeds to celebrate a disputed agreement demonstrates not strength, but recklessness.
“This development is not an isolated incident. It fits into a broader and disturbing pattern that has come to define the Tinubu administration, a pattern of governance driven more by propaganda than by substance, more by optics than by legality, and more by expediency than by national interest,” he said.
According to Atiku, the OPL 245 controversy is not just about an oil block, but emblematic of a larger governance crisis, “where due process is treated as optional, where legal disputes are repackaged as political victories, and where national assets are handled with troubling opacity.”
He regretted that Nigerians continue to endure a worsening security situation, ranging from banditry to kidnappings, insurgency to violent crime, and the country remains under siege.
“Farmers cannot farm. Businesses cannot operate safely. Citizens cannot travel without fear. Yet, instead of decisive action, what Nigerians receive are carefully crafted statements designed to mask inaction.
“Security is not a slogan. It is a duty. And on this fundamental responsibility, the government continues to fall short,” he added.
The former vice president said, despite claims of increased revenue, there is little evidence of corresponding improvements in infrastructure, healthcare, or education, stating that borrowing continues at an alarming pace, while public debt edges dangerously toward unsustainable levels.
“Reports of millions of dollars allegedly spent on foreign image-laundering efforts only reinforce the perception of a government more concerned with optics than with outcomes.
“This is not reform. This is misgovernance dressed in the language of reform,” he added.
Atiku told the APC that Nigeria did not struggle for democracy only to witness the emergence of civilian authoritarian tendencies, where opposition voices are targeted, dissent is discouraged, and institutions are weaponised.
According to him, democracy thrives on accountability, transparency, and respect for the rule of law, adding that any government that undermines these principles undermines the very foundation of the Republic.
“The Nigerian people deserve better. They deserve a government that tells the truth, not one that manufactures victories where none exist.
“They deserve an oil and gas sector governed by transparency, not secrecy.
“They deserve economic management rooted in discipline, not reckless borrowing and opaque spending. They deserve security that protects lives — not assurances that ring hollow.
“The unfolding OPL 245 saga is a stark reminder that no amount of propaganda can substitute for due process. No declaration can override the courts. And no government can outspin the truth indefinitely.
“History will take note. But more importantly, the Nigerian people are watching, and they will not be deceived,” Atiku stated.
Atiku noted that for the first three years, Nigerians have been inundated with claims of economic recovery and institutional reform, but stated the lived reality of Nigerians tells a different story, resulting in deepening economic hardship, worsening insecurity, and growing distrust in public institutions.
“Nowhere is this contradiction more evident than in the oil and gas sector,” he said.
Atiku alleged plan to sell up to 30 per cent of Nigeria’s Joint Venture assets under the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, and reminded the Federal Government that these assets are not mere commercial instruments but “strategic national holdings, the backbone of Nigeria’s revenue architecture.”
He warned that any attempt to dispose of them without full transparency, competitive valuation, and public accountability would amount to the quiet auctioning of Nigeria’s future.
The former vice president called on PENGASSAN, NUPENG, and all stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to remain vigilant, adding that the Nigerian people should not be shortchanged through opaque transactions carried out under the cover of reform.
Atiku expressed concern at reports surrounding the relocation of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services back to Lagos at an alleged annual rental cost exceeding ₦9 billion.
He noted that at a time when Nigeria is grappling with an unprecedented debt servicing burden, rising from nearly ₦7 trillion in 2023 to about ₦16 trillion, such expenditure raises serious questions about fiscal discipline and priority setting.
Atiku alleged that the owner of the property in question might be linked to interests associated with the president’s family, and warned that silence in the face of such weighty allegations only deepens suspicion and erodes public trust.
“This is how institutions are weakened — not always by overt illegality, but by a steady erosion of transparency, accountability, and ethical governance,” he said.
