Some stakeholders from Ogoniland in Rivers State have welcomed the nomination of former Rivers South-East Senator, Magnus Abe, and former Minister of Trade and Investment, Kenneth Kobani, to the boards of Nigeria’s major oil regulatory agencies, but have firmly dismissed suggestions that the appointments signal an imminent return of oil exploration in the area.
The stakeholders, among them prominent Ogoni environmental activist Celestine Akpobari, described the nominations as merited but cautioned against linking them to renewed oil activities in Ogoniland.
Akpobari said Abe and Kobani, as indigenes of Ogoni and citizens of Nigeria, were qualified to be appointed based on their individual credentials.
However, he emphasised that their nominations do not address the deep-seated environmental degradation and socio-economic challenges facing the communities.
He maintained that board appointments alone cannot resolve decades of pollution and neglect suffered by Ogoniland.
In the same vein, a relative of late environmental rights campaigner Ken Saro-Wiwa, Sir Joe Korka-Waadah, who also serves as Executive Director of Compassionate Heart Foundation Canada, said the position of the Ogoni people remains clear and unchanged.
According to him, the core demands include the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa, a thorough environmental remediation of polluted areas, and the full implementation of the Ogoni Bill of Rights.
Both Abe and Kobani are natives of Ogoniland, a region that has borne the brunt of prolonged oil exploration and environmental damage.
Speculation about a possible resumption of oil activities intensified following a recent visit to Ogoniland by a Federal Government delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, accompanied by heads of security agencies.
During the visit, the delegation praised the people of Ogoni for their peaceful conduct and also commended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for sustaining stability in the area.
Despite this, the Ogoni stakeholders insisted that any conversation around restarting oil exploration must first be preceded by a comprehensive cleanup of contaminated sites and the fulfilment of other longstanding demands.
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has praised the appointments of Abe and Kobani, describing them as evidence of President Bola Tinubu’s resolve to honour commitments. Wike made the remarks on Monday while addressing supporters during a “thank you” visit to Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State.
“We want to thank Mr President. We have never had it so good since the creation of this state. As we were coming, we received news of two appointments—Senator Magnus Abe and Chief Kenneth Kobani,” he said.
“What this shows is that Mr President is a man who keeps his word and honours agreements he has entered into. Agreements do not necessarily have to be written,” Wike added.
President Tinubu recently nominated Abe as Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, while Kobani was nominated as a non-executive member of the Board of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
In separate letters forwarded to the Senate, the President sought speedy confirmation of the nominees, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Wike also appealed to the people of Rivers State to continue backing President Tinubu, especially in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.
Earlier, the Chairman of Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area, Vincent Nemieoboka, described Wike as a “major driver of development” in the area and assured that the council would mobilise support for President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Give me a better headline not more than nine words and mention the two oil boards
