PIA: “My loyalty to His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR, the Olu of Warri, the Palace of the Olu of Warri, has not changed and will not change”- Oboroegbeyi
*Says current HCDTs were established by Host communities
A legal practitioner and critical stakeholder in Ugborodo an oil rich community in Warri South-West LGA, Delta State, Barr. Augustine Oboroegbeyi says his loyalty to His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR, the Olu of Warri and the Palace of the Olu of Warri, has not changed and will not change.
Barr. Oboroegbeyi made this known Wednesday January 17, 2024 via an electronic terse to Www.areanewsng.com in his response to an earlier publication made by Mr. Alex Eyengho on the outcome of a tripartite meeting convened by the NUPRC at Abuja Tuesday January 16,;2024 between the Commission, Chevron Nigeria Limited and its Itsekiri host communities.
According to the response terse content by Barr Oboroegbeyi current Host Communities Development Trusts, HCDTs, were established by the communities and that the PIA is rooted in host communities who are at liberty to select their representatives.
Barr. Augustine Oboroegbeyi reply reads thus:
“MY RESPONSE TO A BREAKING NEWS
“My attention was drawn to the Breaking News titled: “PIA: AUGUSTINE OBOROEGBEYI DUMPS PALACE HCDTs”, in which it was stated that in a tripartite meeting in Abuja on Tuesday January 16, 2024, Augustine Oboroegbeyi opted out of HCDTs put together in the Palace of the Olu of Warri, changed his hitherto loyalty to the Olu’s Palace on the matter.
“Undeniably, the creator of the so-called “Breaking News” seems to harbor an agenda that extends beyond the issues addressed in the mentioned tripartite meeting. Typically, I would choose not to engage with such smear campaign, but I find it necessary to respond to ensure the truth is not distorted. Here’s my perspective on the matter:
“My loyalty to His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR, the Olu of Warri and the Palace of the Olu of Warri, has not changed and will not change.
“Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, didn’t create any HCDT. His palace merely catalyzed the Chevron Warri Kingdom Coastal and Onshore HCDTs, and the SPDC Iwereland HCDT. Myself, and majority Itsekiri people, continue to support these initiatives.
“The PIA is rooted in host communities who are at liberty to select their representatives. Current HCDTs were established by these communities.
“I stress that the notion of ‘the more the merrier’ isn’t limited to the number of HCDTs given to us by the settlors or regulators. Nonetheless, we uphold our faith in the strength of a composite single HCDTs.
Barr. Augustine N. Oboroegbeyi”.
