Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has critised his invitation by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL) to tour the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.
The invitation came as a response from NNPC Ltd’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye to Obasanjo over his views on the reopening of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries as announced by the NNPC Ltd.
Reacting to the invitation, through his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo described the open invitation as disrespectful to the office of a former president.
He added that NNPL had not sent any formal invitation to him as of Thursday, January 2, 2024.
“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.
Obasanjo, in an interview on Channels Television had expressed his views on the recent announcement of the reopening of the Port Harcourt and Warri efineries by NNPCL, describing it in a parable as lies.
“When I was President, I wanted to do something about the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries. Aliko Dangote got a team after SHELL has refused to equip and run or only run the refineries”
Obasanjo said he called the Boss of Shell to tell him what the problem is, and he gave him five reasons which include: their not being so much interested in the upstream, low output capacity of the refineries, poor maintenance, and the corruption around the activities of the refineries and would not want to get involved in that.
“And when anybody tells you something like that, what would you do?”
“It was after that Aliko got a team together and they paid $750 million to take part in PPP in running the refineries and my successor refunded their money.”
“I went to my successor and told him what transpired, but he said, NNPC said they wanted the refinery and that they can run it. And I told him – but you know they cannot run it.”
“I was told not too long ago that since that time that more than $2 billion have been squandered on the refinery and they still will not work”
“If a company like shell tells me what they told me, I will believe them.”
“Whether we announce our own government refinery working or not working, it is like a saying in Yoruba – A man who plants hundred hips of yam and says he has planted two hundred hips, they say after he has harvested hundred hips of yam will also harvest hundred hips of lies.”
In response to Obasanjo;s comments, Soneye, acknowledged how high the formaer president’s opinions are held. He explained that the NNPCL had carried out a complete overhaul of the refineries to meet global standard.
“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.”, Soneye added.
