•Dismisses Public Notice

Susan Lokpobiri, estranged wife of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has rejected a public notice issued by her husband warning Nigerians and corporate organisations against engaging in business or financial dealings with her and an NGO associated with her.

In a statement, Mrs Lokpobiri described the notice as “unwarranted, misleading and unnecessary”, insisting that she does not represent her estranged husband or pose any threat to his office or the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

She disclosed that she had instituted legal proceedings against the minister over alleged bigamy, adding that the matter was currently pending before a court of competent jurisdiction.

According to her, the legal action arose from circumstances surrounding what she described as his abandonment of the family and his decision to move in with another woman.

She expressed surprise that rather than allow the matter to be determined through the appropriate legal process, the minister had chosen to issue a public declaration portraying her and her activities negatively.

Mrs Lokpobiri said the notice had subjected her and their son, who is a legal practitioner, to unnecessary embarrassment and public scrutiny.

She maintained that neither she nor her organisation constituted a threat to anyone, adding that she had no intention of interfering with the minister’s official responsibilities or the operations of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

She also clarified that she had not benefited from his ministerial position, explaining that even after his appointment, she deliberately maintained her distance and continued to pursue her personal interests independently.

On the Reaching Every Adult and Child Foundation, Mrs Lokpobiri described it as a legitimate organisation established to pursue its objectives, insisting that it posed no threat to any individual, public office or government institution.

She further warned that the minister’s public notice should not be misconstrued as evidence of wrongdoing on her part or that of the foundation.

She urged members of the public, corporate organisations and relevant stakeholders to disregard what she described as the misleading impression created by the notice and allow the court to determine the issues before it.

Mrs Lokpobiri reaffirmed her commitment to protecting her rights, dignity and reputation through lawful means. (AriseNews TV, excluding headline)