A fresh dispute may have emerged over the reported resolution of the long-running OPL 245 oil block case, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar rejecting claims by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, that criticisms of the deal are driven by self-interest.
The former vice president faulted remarks credited to Fagbemi, who had reportedly dismissed opposition voices on the matter as lacking patriotism.
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Atiku maintained that concerns raised about the OPL 245 settlement were rooted in “verifiable records” and ongoing legal processes, not political motivations.
He described the AGF’s assertion as misleading and an attempt to divert attention from substantive legal and factual issues surrounding what he termed the “so-called resolution” of the dispute.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our position is firmly grounded in publicly available documents, including but not limited to the pre-action notice issued by Malabu Oil and Gas Limited to the relevant authorities, which raises serious legal objections to the purported settlement.
“These documents clearly indicate that key stakeholders have disputed the legitimacy of the claimed resolution, stating unequivocally that they were neither consulted nor involved in any negotiation process, and that multiple suits on the asset remain pending before competent courts.
“It is therefore not only disingenuous but deeply troubling for the Attorney-General to dismiss legitimate concerns—rooted in documented legal processes—as ‘self-interest’.
“In any constitutional democracy, raising questions based on verifiable records is not opposition—it is responsibility, which the ruling APC has clearly departed from,” a statement on Thursday by the Atiku Media Office partly read.
He said that OPL 245 is one of Nigeria’s most significant oil assets, long entangled in complex litigation and international scrutiny.
Atiku further stated that the issues at stake go beyond politics and require transparency, adherence to due process, and respect for the rule of law.
“We wish to state for the record that Atiku Abubakar does not have an interest in OPL 245, has never had an interest in the contentious OPL 245, and will never have an interest in OPL 245.
“We reiterate that our intervention is guided solely by the public interest and the need to uphold the rule of law. No amount of rhetoric can erase the existence of pending legal disputes or invalidate concerns already raised by affected parties through formal legal channels,” his media office stated.
While urging greater openness, the chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) called on the Attorney-General to address the substantive legal questions raised rather than dismissing them.
The statement added, “If anything, the Attorney-General’s response underscores the very need for greater openness and accountability on this matter.
“Nigeria cannot build credibility—locally or internationally—by ignoring documented facts or dismissing legitimate questions. The rule of law must remain supreme. Meanwhile, the Attorney-General may do well to address the substantive issues raised in our earlier intervention instead of this resort to propaganda.
‘Opposition To Resolution Deeply Concerning’
Fagbemi had faulted claims by Atiku that disputes associated with the OPL 245 oil block remain unresolved.
He also cited a recent Court of Appeal judgment in Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited v. Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd (2025), which dismissed Malabu’s challenge to the allocation of OPL 245 as statute-barred and an abuse of court process.
“It must be stated unequivocally that the ongoing opposition to this resolution is both revealing and deeply concerning.
“The persistence of these criticisms, despite clear legal, commercial, and national interest considerations, strongly suggests that they are driven not by patriotism or objective reasoning, but by undisclosed and self-serving interests.
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