Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called out President Bola Tinubu for allegedly giving his nephew undue advantage in the acquisition of significant oil assets in Nigeria. In a statement released by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku questioned why Oando Plc, a company owned by Tinubu’s nephew, received expedited approval to purchase AGIP and ENI’s onshore assets, while other transactions like the Shell/Renaissance and Mobil/Seplat deals remain delayed.
Atiku criticized the Tinubu administration for favoring family interests in the oil and gas sector, accusing it of undermining democracy. He also took aim at the House of Representatives for not adequately addressing concerns related to the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which he claimed has been “mortgaging the country’s national oil assets to vested interests.”
Atiku argued that democracy under Tinubu has devolved into a government that serves the President and his family, rather than the people of Nigeria. He highlighted the speed with which the Nigerian Upstream Production Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) approved Oando’s acquisition, contrasting it with the stalled Mobil/Seplat deal, whose consent letter remains on Tinubu’s desk.
Furthermore, Atiku accused the NNPC of disregarding a directive from the House of Representatives to suspend its acquisition of OVH assets pending an investigation. Despite ongoing issues in the oil sector, key officials continue to retain their positions, which Atiku views as a sign of their loyalty to Tinubu’s interests.
