‘Amosun, not Abiodun, responsible for loss of Dangote Refinery to Lagos’

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has blamed his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, for the loss of N19billion Dangote Refinery by Ogun State to Lagos State.

He said any true born Ogun State indigene would be pained by the huge investment loss, especially when the state had been marked as the most suitable natural location for the mega project at Olokola Free Trade Zone, in Ogun Waterside Local Government.

He added that the Amosun administration bungled the chance because of one man’s interest.

Governor Abiodun, reacting to a report credited to a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, Segun Sowunmi, heaping blames on successive administrations, said the government in power between 2011 and 2019, for reasons best known to it, killed the project and frustrated the promoter of Dangote Refinery out of the state.

Abiodun, in a statement by

Kunle Somorin, his Chief Press Secretary, said: “The present governor, Prince Abiodun, served as the chairman of the committee on the Olokola Free Trade Zone (OKFTZ) projects during the first term of ex-Governor Amosun.

“Governor Abiodun, as the chairman of the committee and a big player in the oil and gas industry, did everything to make sure the project saw the light of the day.

“The then governor, perhaps, having an axe to grind with the promoter of the refinery project, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, frustrated the efforts of Prince Abiodun and his committee.

“The former Chairman, Board of Directors of Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Mrs. Ronke Sokefun, who was then a commissioner, served as the secretary of the committee, which engaged Dangote on the mega project.

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“Instead of showing enthusiasm towards hosting the project in the state, the former governor opposed and obstructed efforts of the Abiodun-led committee in ensuring that OKFTZ came into fruition.

“Having become governor in 2019, it is on record that Prince Abiodun has always rued the missed opportunity and he has embarked on efforts in reawakening OKFTZ. At different forums, the governor has made it known that the Olokola project is a gold mine waiting to be tapped by the state.

“Apart from this, he has continued to shop for would-be investors to bring the project to life. His administration has not relented in bringing net-worth players in oil and gas as well as maritime, to ensure the natural resources in OKFTZ such as bitumen, natural deep seaport, marine and natural gas are tapped for the economic development of Ogun State.”

“Even before Aliko Dangote declared on Monday at the inauguration of the refinery in Lagos that Ogun was the next port of call, Governor Abiodun is already wooing Dangote to reconsider the state.

“Conclusively, Governor Abiodun-led administration can never be held either directly or vicariously responsible for the loss of Dangote Refinery. Ogun State indigenes know the administration that worked against the economic development of the state, all in the name of bad politics and shenanigans.

“Rather, Governor Abiodun’s government should be lauded for working to revive OKFTZ.”

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