Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday, absolved himself of blame in the situation that led to the relocation of the $19bn Dangote refinery from Ogun State to Lagos.
Abiodun, who confirmed that he was Chairman, Olokola
Free Trade Zone, in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the state during
the administration of former governor Ibikunle Amosun, said he was not part of
the moves that frustrated Dangote out of the state.
The governor, in a statement issued by his Chief Press
Secretary, Kunle Somorin on Tuesday, said he should not be blamed for the loss.
Dangote had initially chosen Ogun State for the site
of the refinery, which was inaugurated on Monday, in Lagos, but discussion
broke down between Ogun State government and the billionaire businessman,
leading to the relocation of the project to Lagos.
In the statement on Tuesday, he said his predecessor,
Amosun, should be blamed Ogun lost the opportunity to host the mega refinery.
“Any true born Ogun indigene will sincerely be pained
by the huge investment loss, especially when Ogun had been marked as the most
suitable natural location for the mega project in Olokola Free Trade Zone, in
Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the state,” the governor lamented.
Explaining his role, he said, “Governor Abiodun, as
the chairman of the committee and a big player in the oil and gas industry
himself, did everything possible to make sure the project saw the light of the
day.
“The then governor, perhaps, having a personal axe to
grind with the promoter of the refinery project, Alhaji Aliko Dangote,
frustrated all the efforts of Governor Abiodun and his committee.
“The immediate Chairman, Board of Directors of the
Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Mrs Ronke Sokefun, who was then a
commissioner, served as the secretary of the committee, which engaged Dangote
on the mega project.
“Instead of showing enthusiasm towards hosting the
project in the state, the former governor brazenly opposed and obstructed
efforts of the Abiodun-led committee in ensuring that the OKFTZ came into
fruition.”
Abiodun’s statement was in reaction to a former
governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, Segun Sowunmi, who
blamed the incumbent governor for the loss of the $19bn Dangote refinery.
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi
Sule, on has felicitated Dangote on the inauguration of the integrated
refinery.
Sule, who spoke during the opening and handover of the
2.2 kilometre Loko-Oweto Bridge constructed by the President, Major General
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), described the refinery as “the end of the energy
crisis in Nigeria.”
On the bridge, Sule said, “It’s another dream come
true for the people of Loko and Oweto in Nasarawa and Benue States
respectively, as well as all the Southeastern part of the country. We are
celebrating a dream come true of the bridge.
“Mr President, we can’t thank you enough. We believe
you have paid your dues, you have done well for us and by the grace of God, God
will be kind also to you.”
Also, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday
said the 650,000bpd Dangote refinery had opened a new vista of opportunity for
the nation’s economy, saying, “What this means is that we will be saving up to
$15bn in a year for not importing. That’s more than the amount we spend today
on all our infrastructure, education, and health. That sort of money is coming
back to the government for growth.”
Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Femi Gbajabiamila, in a statement on Tuesday congratulated Dangote on the
refinery, describing him as a game changer.
Gbajabiamila said Dangote’s “patriotic pan-Nigerian
posture” is worthy of emulation by other Nigerian investors and wished the
billionaire well “in his endeavour towards making Nigeria a virile economic
giant in Africa.”
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