By Charles Pemu 
In a rare moment of bipartisan reflection, Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday called on Nigeria’s political class to rise above partisanship in the task of nation-building, emphasizing that what unites them is far greater than what divides them.
Speaking at the unveiling of “OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3bn Nigerian Oil Bloc”—a memoir written by former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN)—Shettima stressed the need for elite unity, especially as political realignments intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.
The event drew a high-powered audience of politicians from across the spectrum—APC, PDP, NNPP, and others—including former Governors Nasir El-Rufai and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Senate Presidents Bukola Saraki and Anyim Pius Anyim, and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who presented the book.
“We Are All One”
In a moment of candid reflection, Shettima declared, “What binds us together surpasses what divides us,” acknowledging politicians of various affiliations in attendance. He noted that even amid ideological and party differences, Nigeria’s leaders share a responsibility to the nation.
He further revealed personal experiences during the Goodluck Jonathan administration when he was “Public Enemy No. 1,” noting how Adoke’s principled legal stance prevented an attempt to remove him as Governor of Borno State.
Praising Adoke for his integrity and courage, Shettima said, “Adoke told the President, ‘You do not have the power to remove a sitting governor.’ That was a turning point that sealed my relationship with him forever.”
Jonathan: “They Hunted Him Globally”
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Anyim Pius Anyim, recounted how several of his aides, including Adoke, were relentlessly pursued by the Buhari administration.
“He was hunted globally,” Jonathan said, noting the irony that the same man who helped ensure democratic transition in 2015 became a target of persecution.
Adoke Speaks: “I Was Never a Party to the Deal”
In his remarks, Adoke said he wrote the memoir not to denigrate anyone but to set the record straight. He insisted he was never part of the controversial Malabu oil deal but merely executed a presidential directive in 2011. He also revealed that former EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu had since apologized to him, and he had chosen to forgive all those who orchestrated his ordeal.
He lamented that Nigerian prosecutors who perjured themselves during his trial were never held accountable. “Prosecutors must not become persecutors,” he said firmly.
“OPL 245 Still Unresolved” – Makinde, Saraki, El-Rufai
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde described the book as a catalyst for building an elite consensus, noting the importance of documenting public service. He also underscored the economic significance of the OPL 245 block, with over 9 billion barrels of crude oil.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki emphasized that the book illustrated the failure to uphold the rule of law in the Adoke saga, while El-Rufai called on present officeholders to remember that their actions will be judged by history.
“Your turn will come,” El-Rufai warned, praising Adoke’s courage and reminding all that public office is fleeting.
A Call to Document History
In closing, Shettima urged Nigeria’s political leaders to write their own stories: “Our public service is a territory governed by silence… As a generation of leaders, we must summon the courage to document our journeys.”
As the dust of the OPL 245 scandal begins to settle, Adoke’s memoir serves not just as a personal account, but a public challenge—to preserve history, respect the law, and recognize that political power, though intoxicating, is temporary.