Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, has lambasted the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, for inviting him to visit the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, describing the invitation as “disrespectful.”
Recall that NNPCL had, through its image maker, Olufemi Soneye, invited the former President for a tour of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, after Obasanjo had in a national television, recounted failed efforts to privatise oils refineries in the country.
The former President, had during the media chat, expressed disappointment that despite huge spendings by NNPCL, there is no significant result in the efforts to revive Nigeria’s refineries.
According to him, over $2 billion had been squandered by NNPCL on the purported maintenance of Port Harcourt and Warri refineries but without results.
Obasanjo explained that his successor, Musa Yar’Adua, rejected a $750m million offer from the Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, to manage the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries.
The former President had knocked NNPCL for deceiving the late Yar’Adua to reject Dangote with the claims that the corporation had the competence to manage the refineries.
Obasanjo had said: “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 and Shell said they wouldn’t. I said, ‘Please come and take equity;’ they said no. I said, ‘Okay, don’t take equity, come and run it;’ they said no.
“Aliko got a team together and they paid $750m to take part in PPP (Public–Private Partnership) in running the refineries. My successor refunded their money, and I went to my successor; I told him what transpired; he said NNPC said they wanted the refinery and they could run it, and I said, ‘but you know they cannot run it.
“But I was told not too long ago that since that time, more than $2bn had been squandered on the refineries, and they still would not work.”
Obasanjo said that if a company like Shell rejected his offer to manage the refineries based on their reasons, he would believe the company.
Meanwhile, Obasanjo expressed confidence in Dangote’s ability to manage his privately owned refinery effectively, contrasting it with the government’s inefficiency.
In a swift response, the NNPCL Spokesperson Femi Soneye, carpeted Obasanjo for criticising the corporation, insisting that the refineries are working.
He claimed that the NNPCL had not only carried out turnaround maintenance on the plants but also embarked on a complete overhaul of the refineries to meet world-class standards.
“We extend an open invitation to former President Obasanjo for a tour of the rehabilitated refineries to witness firsthand the progress made under the new NNPC Limited,” he added.
But Obasanjo, has again, hit the corporation over the invitation saying it is a disrespect to his person and office.
Reacting to the invitation in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Obasanjo said such an open invitation was disrespectful to his office and person.
Obasanjo who spoke through his Media Aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, said it was insulting for NNPCL to react to his honest and fair comments disrespectfully.
He said: “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 that 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,” Obasanjo’s aide stated.
