By Uzair Adam

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticized the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) for extending an open invitation to him to tour the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, describing it as disrespectful.

Reacting through his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo expressed displeasure over the lack of a formal invitation, stating that such an approach undermined the dignity of his office.

“Is that the right way to invite a former president of the country? Who says Baba has even seen the statement or read the news? It is a total disrespect for the office of the former president.

“Ask the NNPCL, as of January 2, have they written to him? Is there any official letter addressed to him, inviting him to the refinery? It is an absolute insult, and the former president cannot dignify such with a response,” Akinyemi stated.

The NNPCL had extended the invitation through its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, following an interview Obasanjo granted on Channels Television, where he highlighted failed efforts to privatize Nigeria’s oil refineries during his presidency.

Obasanjo recounted that in his tenure, Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group, had assembled a team to manage the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries through a $750 million public-private partnership deal.

However, his successor, Musa Yar’Adua, rejected the proposal, believing that the NNPC could manage the refineries despite clear evidence of inefficiency.

He remarked, “When I was president, I wanted to do something about the three refineries we have: Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.

“Aliko got a team together after I asked Shell to come and run it for us, but Shell declined. They wouldn’t take equity or even run it.

“Eventually, Aliko’s team paid $750m to manage the refineries. Unfortunately, my successor refunded their money, claiming the NNPC could run them. But we knew they couldn’t.”

Obasanjo lamented the mismanagement and wastage of over $2 billion on the refineries since 2007, with little to no improvement.

While acknowledging Dangote’s competence in managing his privately owned refinery, Obasanjo expressed doubts about the government’s ability to achieve similar efficiency.

In defense, NNPCL spokesperson Femi Soneye insisted that the refineries were operational and undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation to meet global standards.

“We extend an open invitation to former President Obasanjo to tour the rehabilitated refineries and witness firsthand the progress made under the new NNPC Limited,” Soneye said.

The news of the reopening of the Warri refinery has sparked skepticism among Nigerians, with many questioning the effectiveness of government-led initiatives in the oil sector.

ByAdmin

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