Headlines
Failure of Oil, Gas Sector Reason for Poverty, Hunger in the Country, Says Agbakoba, Threatens to Sue FG
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has threatened to drag the Federal Government to court to determine the constitutionality of continuing outsourcing of oil and gas management to International Oil Companies (IOCs) through Joint Ventures (JVs) and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs).
Agbakoba also called for a complete overhaul of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, insisting that the current system has ‘completely failed’ and is responsible for poverty and hunger across the country.
The human rights lawyers, who stated this at a press conference in Lagos, argued that the current Contract Oil model directly contradicts Sections 16 and 44(3) of the Nigerian Constitution.
He maintained that the law mandates the government to manage Nigeria’s natural resources in a manner that secures the maximum welfare, freedom, and happiness of every citizen and that the current arrangement, which primarily benefits IOCs, falls far short of this constitutional requirement.
Agbakoba also stated that it is a fundamental principle of administrative law that statutory bodies, including the government, can not delegate their core functions without express legal authorisation. Without such express authority, the current arrangements may be ultra vires and potentially void.
The lawyer said, “These responsibilities, fundamental to the nation’s sovereignty and economic well-being, may be inherently governmental and thus incapable of being lawfully delegated to private entities. Furthermore, it is dubious whether the federal government has the authority to delegate the inherent rights of Nigerians to their natural resources to third parties.
“While the federal government is reluctant to consider shared or joint ownership with state governments, who represent Nigerians more directly, it sees no issue in delegating, outsourcing, and sharing joint ownership with IOCs. This inconsistency raises questions about the government’s interpretation and application of its constitutional mandate.
“We will approach the court to declare that the PIA, the current legal framework for the continued outsourcing or unlawful delegation of the management of Nigeria’s oil and gas to IOCs, is unconstitutional.
“The dominance of IOCs in the sector has historically limited opportunities for developing local content and building domestic capacity in the oil and gas industry,” he said.
Agbakoba also said that the current system of JVs and PSCs, which was initially justified by a lack of funds, now appears to violate the inherent rights of Nigerians over their natural resources.
He stated that if the country adopts a “Development Oil” approach, it can reclaim control over its vital oil and gas sector and transform it into a powerful engine for national development.
The senior lawyer insisted that this paradigm shift requires bold policy changes, including securitising oil reserves through a Sovereign Oil Fund, allowing Nigeria to finance its oil and gas operations.
He said, “The current exit of IOCs presents both a challenge and an opportunity for new Nigerian actors in the oil and gas sector. In collaboration with the federal government, these actors must rise to the occasion and build a new strategy for oil and gas exploration based on development oil principles.
“By aligning the oil and gas sector with broader national interests and constitutional obligations, Nigeria can create a more diversified, resilient, and prosperous economy that truly benefits all its citizens. This approach not only promises economic growth but also reaffirms Nigeria’s sovereignty over its natural resources, ensuring that they are managed for the welfare and security of all Nigerians, as mandated by the constitution,” Agbakoba stated.
Leadership
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has withdrawn from the case filed by the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against the leadership of the senate.
Justice Egwuatu, recused himself from the matter on Tuesday after lawyers to the parties in the suit announced their appearances.
He said he was stepping down from the matter because of the petition written by Senate President Godswilll Akpabio, alleging he was biased.
The presiding judge said he would will return the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, so the matter could be reassigned to another judge.
Justice Egwuatu had on March 4, given an an interim order that stopping the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions from going ahead with the disciplinary proceedings started against t Akpoti-Uduaghan who was alleged to have broken senate rules.
The judge gave the senate leadership 72 hours to show cause why it should not issue an order of interlocutory injunction to stop them from probing the plaintiff for alleged misconduct, without affording her the privileges stipulated in the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
But the Senate Committee still went ahead to hold its sitting where it recommended Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months suspension.
However, the judge later amended the interim order by vacating the aspect that stopped the Senate from from taking any action pending the outcome of the suit.
By Eric Elezuo
Following the pronouncement of former President Goodluck Jonathan as the winner of the 2025 Sunhak Peace Prize, President Bola Tinubu has sent his hearty congratulations.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President acknowledged Jonathan’s pro-democracy stand, and efforts across the globe to sustain democratic principles. He noted that Jonathan has been a consistent advocate for “peace, harmony, and communality, a patriotic endeavour that has earned him global recognition”.
While thanking the organizers of the Prize for recognizing the ‘efforts of those working hard to improve the world’, he recalled Jonathan’s 2015 act of single-handedly supervising the transition of power to an opposition government, stressing that “it bolstered the nation’s democratic profile”.
The statement in details:
“President Bola Tinubu congratulates former President Goodluck Jonathan on winning the 2025 Sunhak Peace Founders’ Award.
“President Tinubu applauds the former President for his consistent advocacy for peace, harmony, and communality, a patriotic endeavour that has earned him global recognition.
“The President states that Dr Jonathan’s winning the Sunhak Peace Award affirms his bold efforts in peacebuilding and promoting democracy in Africa and beyond.
“The President recalls the former President’s historic acceptance of the results of the 2015 presidential election and his peaceful handover of power to an opposition party, which bolstered the nation’s democratic profile.
“President Tinubu celebrates this landmark achievement with former President Jonathan and thanks the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee for recognising the efforts of those working hard to improve the world.”
The Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) of Nigeria has criticised the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, and Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, for alleging that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is connected to militant activities in the Niger Delta.
The group described the claims as baseless and lacking credible evidence.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, addressed remarks made by Fagbemi last week, accusing Fubara of “tele-guiding militants” to sabotage oil installations.
Onanuga, in a separate opinion piece, supported the Federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing intelligence reports suggesting militant threats linked to the governor.
“These are serious allegations that can destabilise not only Rivers State but the entire Niger Delta, yet no concrete evidence has been made public to substantiate them,” Onwubiko said, faulting the officials’ reliance on unverified intelligence.
HURIWA highlighted Governor Fubara’s denial of the allegations in an official statement earlier on Monday, where he rejected any ties to militant groups and labeled viral videos alleging explosions on oil and gas facilities in Rivers State as “fake and malicious.”
The group praised Fubara’s call for security agencies to investigate the videos’ origins and prosecute those responsible.
“Governor Fubara’s insistence on peace and constitutional governance has been clear in all his public engagements. It is disheartening to see such character assassination being perpetuated from the highest levels of the federal government,” Onwubiko stated.
The association questioned why federal authorities have not presented tangible evidence if it exists, arguing, “As far as we are concerned, the dissemination of these unproven claims is not just unprofessional but a dangerous precedent in the democratic space.”
HURIWA also challenged Fagbemi and Onanuga to avoid “pettiness and rumour mongering,” urging them to base their statements on facts.
“It is disgraceful that at a time when Nigerians are yearning for stability and good governance, top officials of the federal government are busy engaging in baseless accusations, further tarnishing Nigeria’s image before the international community,” the statement added.
The group further criticized the state of emergency in Rivers State as “unconstitutional, unnecessary, and politically motivated,” asserting that no evidence of war or a breakdown of law and order, as required by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, has been shown.
“The AGF and other federal agents must be reminded that the Supreme Court judgment, which is now being used to justify executive overreach in Rivers State, does not license rumour-based governance,” HURIWA noted.
HURIWA urged Fubara to pursue legal action against those making the claims, stating, “even if the judiciary is seen by some as compromised, it is essential to set the record straight by taking advantage of available legal avenues.”
The association called on security agencies to launch a transparent forensic investigation into the allegations and incidents in Ogoniland and other parts of Rivers State, insisting it must remain free of political interference.
“The dangerous game of labeling peaceful citizens as militants without evidence is not only reckless but risks plunging Rivers State into avoidable chaos. Nigeria’s democracy deserves better,” the group concluded.
