Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to resolve the long-running dispute surrounding the controversial Oil Prospecting Licence 245 (OPL 245), describing the move as long overdue.
In a statement issued on Friday following the government’s announcement of a settlement with Eni and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited, Adoke said he “wholeheartedly” supported the implementation of agreements that were reached nearly 15 years ago during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“I wholeheartedly welcome the decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to finally implement the OPL 245 Resolution Agreements nearly 15 years after the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan resolved the knotty disputes between the concerned parties and tried to set the oil-rich block on the path to productivity,” he said.
Adoke also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for concluding the process, describing the decision as an act of leadership taken in the national interest.
“I also commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for finally resolving this thorny issue in the national interest and in the spirit of statesmanship. This is a testimony to the fact that he fully understands how the economy works and the importance of the oil-rich asset to the attainment of national economic goals,” he added.
However, the former justice minister criticised the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing it of undermining earlier efforts to settle the dispute.
According to Adoke, the Buhari administration wrongly criminalised the steps taken during the Jonathan government to resolve disagreements arising from the unilateral revocation of the oil block by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2002.
“This is a further indictment of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration who decided to scandalise and criminalise the hard work we did in the national interest,” he said.
Adoke also lamented that his involvement in the resolution of the OPL 245 dispute subjected him to years of legal battles and public criticism both in Nigeria and abroad.
“It is most unfortunate that I was subjected to humiliation and defamation home and abroad for the patriotic role I played as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,” he said.
The former minister argued that Nigeria’s economy might have benefited earlier if the dispute had been resolved sooner, insisting that the delay cost the country valuable opportunities.
Despite the controversy surrounding the deal, Adoke said he had chosen to forgive those who criticised him over the years.
“I forgive all those who connived to smear my name across the world. I take it as part of the burden of service to my fatherland,” he said.
The OPL 245 oil block, one of Nigeria’s most commercially promising offshore assets, has been at the centre of legal disputes and corruption allegations for decades, involving several international oil companies and court cases across multiple jurisdictions.
The recent settlement by the Tinubu administration is expected to pave the way for fresh investment and the development of the deepwater oil field.
