Kwankwaso has chipped into the ongoing face-off between Dangote and oil regulators in the country over the multibillion-dollar petrochemicals refinery.
Former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has warned the Federal Government that the Dangote Refinery must be protected from all forms of threat due to its importance to Nigeria’s energy needs and economic stability.
Kwankwaso said this while reacting to the raging feud between the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote, and the Nigerian oil regulators in a tweet on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
Dangote has been at loggerheads with Nigeria’s regulatory authorities for weeks over the operational capacity of the multi-billion dollar petrochemicals refinery located in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.
However, the dispute took a different turn last week after the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) claimed the facility has not yet been licensed to commence operations.
The NMDPRA also alleged that Dangote is seeking to monopolise the petroleum downstream sector.
This infuriated the business mogul who fired counter-accusations against the regulators, claiming some of its officials operate refineries outside the country from where they import fuel into the country.
But in a move to broker peace between the warring parties, the Minister of Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and other players in the oil and gas sector met with Dangote on Monday.
Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso. [Facebook]
Kwankwaso asks FG to protect Dangote Refinery
Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential torchbearer in the 2023 general elections, said the Federal Government should ensure the Dangote Refinery succeed.
Describing the recent public controversy surrounding the refinery’s integrity as an “unnecessary fuss” he said President Bola Tinubu-led administration must treat the project with fairness.
“I was privileged to visit the magnificent Dangote Refinery, and I was marvelled by the sheer commitment that went into the quality of its establishment.
“This 650,000-bpd refinery is essential for our energy needs and economic stability, and it must be protected from all forms of threat.
“The creation of unnecessary fuss around its integrity by some vested interests is very unfortunate, and it stands to undo all the years of hard work to maintain the fragile investor confidence in our economy.
“It’s time for us to rally around this national asset to ensure that the monumental project does not fail. It cannot fail, and the Nigerian government must understand this by demonstrating fairness and confidence in both domestic and foreign critical investments,” he wrote.