Chief Gani Adams, the National Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress ( OPC) a group with base in the western part of Nigeria, has said he is not part of the planned massive protest against the withdrawal of a contract for the protection of pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Former President Goodluck Jonathan had in the heat of the campaign for re-election, awarded the OPC and other such groups in its fold a multi-billion naira contract to protect the pipelines.
But President Muhammadu Buhari cancelled the contract days after being sworn in to office.
Adams explained that his faction would not be part of the protest.
Adams said he does not believe that the problem of the contract termination would be resolved through protests. Moreover, the contract was terminated as such but not renewed after its three month expiration.
Adams said: “We had a meeting over the withdrawal of contract to protect the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation pipelines. Dr. Fredrick Fasheun, myself and some other persons were at the meeting.
“I want to state categorically that protest against withdrawal of the contract was not part of our discussion.
“It is a contract between us and the NNPC. The issue should not be misunderstood for something else.
“I don’t want to bring ethnicity into this matter. I don’t want people to see us in a bad light.
“We read the story on this protest in the newspapers like any other person. We are not part of the protest.”