Counsel regrets role in Chevron’s host community crisis, tender apology

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Mr Foubai Pereyi, counsel to six suspended members of KEFFES Rural Development Foundation (KRDF) has apologised for his role in the leadership crisis in the organisation.

KRDF is composed of eight communities in Southern Ijaw and Brass Local Government Areas in Bayelsa. hosting the operations of Chevron Nigeria Limited and First Explorations and Production.

The communities are Koluama 1 and 2, Ezetu 1 and 2, Foropa, Fishtown, Ekeni and Sangana forming the acronym KEFFES as parties to the Global Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the two oil firms operating in the area.

KRDF in a statement on Thursday issued by its Secretary Mr Ngozi Amakiri said that the lawyer who allegedly inaugurated a rival executive had realised he erred and apologised to the foundation in writing.

It would be recalled that KRDF had after an emergency meeting on Oct. 30 suspended six of its 32 members for alleged misrepresentation.

According to the statement made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, the legal practitioner has withdrawn his services and tendered an unreserved apology over his involvement in the crisis within the organization.

Pereyi, in his letter of withdrawal and apology to the leadership of KRDF and dated Nov 9, 2021, claimed he was misled in his brief.

According to the letter, having found out the facts, he tendered an unreserved apology to the Board of Trustee and Chairman of KRDF.

According to the statement, also a member of KRDF representing Fishtown community, Mr Noel Ikonikomo, who was among the six suspended and appointed as secretary of the parallel exco, has tendered an apology to be readmitted into the organisation.

Mr Tibiebi Woinemi Amadein had in the suit against the chairmanship position of Mathew Selepri at the State High Court, which nullified the KRDF elections, but the foundation entered an appeal and got a stay of execution at the Appeal Court.

The KRDF noted that rather than await the determination of the pending appeal at the appellate court which had ordered a stay of execution of the decision of the lower court, the suspended members unlawfully constituted a rival executive.