Abiodun said Amosun probably had a score to settle with Dangote and so frustrated the effort to have the refinery in Ogun.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has pointed fingers at his predecessor Ibikunle Amosun as the one to blame for the relocation of $19bn Dangote refinery from Ogun State to Lagos.
Dangote initially chose Ogun for the site of the refinery, which was inaugurated on Monday. However, discussions broke down between Ogun State Government under Amosun and the billionaire businessman, leading to the relocation of the project to Lagos.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, on Tuesday, Abiodun said he was chairman of Olokola Free Trade Zone in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area during Amosun’s administration, adding that he was not part of the moves that frustrated Dangote out of the state.
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.
Abiodun said Amosun probably had a score to settle with Dangote and so frustrated the effort to have the refinery in Ogun.
“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.
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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 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.”