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Game-Changer or Disaster? Saro-Wiwa’s Aide Unveils 4 Critical Challenges Stalling Tinubu’s Ogoni Oil Dreams”
Environmental public policy consultant Dr. John Idamkue has outlined four critical conditions President Bola Tinubu must meet to ensure a peaceful restart of oil production in Ogoni, Rivers State.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Idamkue’s remarks follow a recent announcement by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, at an APC national summit marking Tinubu’s second year in office, where plans to resume oil production in Ogoni were unveiled after three decades of suspension.
In a statement made available in Uyo on Saturday, Idamkue—who was a close aide to the late Ken Saro-Wiwa during the historic Ogoni struggle—said Tinubu’s administration must take concrete steps to rebuild trust and address past injustices before any drilling can resume.
Breaking his long silence since the November 10, 1995 execution of the Ogoni Nine, Idamkue said two recent actions by President Tinubu rekindled old memories: the June 12, 2025 Democracy Day posthumous national honours conferred on the Ogoni Nine, and Tinubu’s January 2025 meeting with Ogoni leaders where he promised a presidential pardon and pledged to honour their sacrifices.
“The president’s words have reopened deep, often-suppressed memories of the pro-democracy struggle, led by NADECO, the Campaign for Democracy, and the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), of which I was an active member,” Idamkue said.
While commending Tinubu’s gesture of state pardon, Idamkue stressed that this is “only one of a hundred steps needed to secure the trust of the Ogoni people.” He warned that any attempt to force oil resumption without addressing Ogoni grievances would fail.
He then listed four key signposts for meaningful engagement:
1. Authentic Representation:
“It is crucial that the Ogoni delegation emerges from legitimate community structures and organisations, not lists drawn up by the Directorate of State Security as happened during the January 2025 meeting.”
2. Civilian Interface, Not Military Control:
“It is alarming that the Office of the National Security Adviser is managing engagement with the Ogoni. The security apparatus has blood on its hands from decades of brutal crackdowns and the dismantling of MOSOP through a slush fund created to undermine the Ogoni struggle.”
3. Righting Historical Wrongs:
“The president must take proactive steps to address injustices. Tinubu should emulate former U.S. President Barack Obama, who compelled BP to set up a $20 billion clean-up fund after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, rather than waiting for victims to plead for compensation.”
4. Creation of a Ken Saro-Wiwa Mitigation Fund:
“I urge President Tinubu to establish a dedicated fund to compensate and support victims of state repression in Ogoniland from 1992 to the present. This aligns with recommendations from the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission to Nigeria in 1996.”
Idamkue concluded that only through these measures can Tinubu build genuine confidence among the Ogoni people and lay the groundwork for a peaceful, sustainable return to oil production in the region.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has revealed that his push for an opposition coalition was initially rejected by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Atiku made the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, where he reflected on events following the PDP’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election. According to him, he warned party leaders after the election that the PDP could struggle politically without forming alliances with other opposition forces. “To be honest, I was one of the major initiators of this coalition. After the PDP lost the last election, I told the party clearly that I did not see a future for the PDP without a coalition,” he said. Atiku said his advice was rejected at the time, despite his conviction that Nigeria’s political history had shown the importance of alliances. “They disagreed with me then. I have studied Nigeria’s political transition over the years and saw how previous alliances worked, so it was not difficult for me to foresee this,” he stated. The former vice president added that his support for coalition politics was also influenced by his desire to encourage the emergence of younger leaders he believes are vital to Nigeria’s future. “I saw some of these younger politicians as the future leaders of this country, and I felt it was my duty to point that out,” he said. However, Atiku claimed the resistance he encountered within the party was driven more by personal feelings than by disagreement over the substance of his proposal. “They disagreed with me simply because they did not want to see my face, not because of what I was suggesting,” he said. Atiku added that recent political developments have now vindicated his position on the need for a broad opposition alliance ahead of future elections.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will first pursue a consensus arrangement before considering a primary election for its 2027 presidential ticket.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Atiku made this known during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday while discussing the party’s leadership and strategy ahead of the next general election.
He said he is open to backing a consensus candidate if that becomes the party’s collective decision, stressing that such support should not be interpreted as stepping aside.
“It is not about stepping aside, but whether I am willing to support, and yes, I will,” Atiku said.
According to him, the ADC’s first priority is to build internal unity and reach an agreement among stakeholders before considering a competitive primary process.
“Our first option will be to work out a consensus. If that doesn’t happen, then of course we will explore other options. And yes, I will support whoever eventually emerges,” he stated.
Atiku also expressed confidence in the political experience within the party, saying he believes a consensus is achievable and may make a full-scale primary contest unnecessary.
“That remains our preferred path. We will go for primaries if consensus fails, but I honestly do not expect it to get to that stage because we are dealing with mature and experienced politicians,” he added.
His comments come amid growing political consultations and coalition talks as parties begin to position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has significantly strengthened his chances of winning the 2027 presidential election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Atiku made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday. Speaking on what makes his latest presidential bid different from previous attempts, Atiku said the ADC coalition brings together key political figures from across major parties, including the APC, PDP and Labour Party. He described the alliance as a broader and more strategic political arrangement ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to him, the coalition has created a stronger platform that improves his prospects. “Now, we have a broader coalition — a combination of APC, PDP and LP — which gives me a better chance of becoming president in 2027,” he said. Atiku also noted that the coalition reflects both experience and generational inclusion, which he said shows a clear succession plan. “You see people of my generation, and you see younger people coming behind us, so you can clearly see a succession pattern,” he added. Meanwhile, Atiku described former President Goodluck Jonathan as a decent but inexperienced leader. According to him, Jonathan’s lack of experience contributed to shortcomings in governance and played a role in his defeat in the 2015 presidential election. “I know Goodluck Jonathan very well. He is a decent young man, but he was also inexperienced, and that contributed to his failure in managing the affairs of the country,” Atiku said. He made the remarks while stressing the need for experienced and capable leadership in Nigeria.
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