Obasanjo turns down NNPC plants tour invite, gets backing from Afenifere, CUPP
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
An invitation by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC) for Olusegun Obasanjo to tour its plants to verify fuel production has been rejected by the former President, blasting it as “disrespectful”.
NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye had invited him for a tour of Port Harcourt and Warri refineries following an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, during which Obasanjo recounted failed efforts to privatise national oil plants.
Obasanjo expressed frustration over the mismanagement of refineries, noting that despite significant expenditure since 2007, no results has been achieved.
He explained that his successor, Musa Yar’Adua, rejected a $750 million offer from Dangote Group President, Aliko Dangote, to manage the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries.
According to Obasanjo, the NNPC was aware of its limitations in managing the refineries but informed Yar’Adua that it could operate them, leading to the rejection of Dangote’s offer.
Said he: “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 $750 million 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 $2 billion had been squandered on the refineries, and they still would not work.”
Obasanjo stressed that if a company like Shell rejected his offer to manage the refineries based on their reasons, he would believe the company.
He expressed confidence in Dangote’s ability to manage his privately owned refinery effectively, contrasting it with government’s inefficiency.
However, Soneye countered that the refineries [are now] working.
He explained that the NNPC has carried out turnaround maintenance on the plants and also begun 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,” Soneye insisted.
But Obasanjo reacted that such an open invitation is disrespectful to his office and person.
A statement he issued through his Media Aide Kehinde Akinyemi said the NNPC has not sent any formal invitation to him.
“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,” Akinyemi told The PUNCH.
“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.”
News of the reopening of the Warri Refinery for production has been met with skepticism from Nigerians.
It came after NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari announced that the Port Harcourt Refinery had commenced crude oil processing on 26 November 2024.
However, visits by The PUNCH to the refinery on two occasions showed the contrary.
The newspaper recounted that on 29 November 2024, when it made its first visit, it discovered there was no activity on the site as the loading bay was empty.
Workers said the facility was undergoing calibration, which might last until the following week.
After two weeks of inactivity, Port Harcourt Refinery reportedly resumed operation, with the NNPC claiming that no fewer than 11 trucks had started loading from the plant.
But on the second visit of The PUNCH to the plant on 19 December 2024, it observed that the lifting of petrol had again stopped.
The outlet said it learnt that the lifting of petrol stopped December 13 as the 18-arm loading bay of the refinery was empty.
A truck driver said: “It was Friday last week they loaded last. About 15 trucks or so loaded that day. Since then, not even a single truck has been loaded till now.
Was any explanation given? the man was asked.
He replied: “I don’t know. Nobody is giving us any information or telling us anything. Some trucks that were here have left. I’m just here because my director said I should wait a bit.”
Even as the NNPC was yet to address growing doubt over the operation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, Kyari announced on 31 December 2024 that Warri Refinery in Delta had resumed production.
Both Afenifere and the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) expressed support for Obasanjo’s position, per reporting by The PUNCH.
Sola Ebiseni (Afenifere Secretary General)
“What former President Obasanjo said was quite illuminating about the way the affairs of the country have been or are being handled,” Ebiseni said.
“He has been out of office since 2007, and until now, what we have seen is the epileptic performance of the refineries. So, it is sheer arrogance and disrespect for the NNPCL to claim they invited him to come and see.”
“If you want to invite a statesman and former president like Obasanjo, no matter how you feel about the statement he made, you shouldn’t resort to disrespectful politics. If you believe that what he said does not reflect the current state of the plants, you should pay him a courtesy visit to present your views about the situation.
“But to go on the pages of newspapers to paint a picture of a liar – which is what the NNPCL’s action implies – leaves much to be desired.”
Peter Ameh (CUPP National Secretary)
“You cannot invite Obasanjo on the pages of newspapers. Even the GMD cannot invite another company head in such a manner, not to mention someone who has served both as a General in the Nigerian Army and as a military Head of State, as well as a two-term democratically elected President of the country.
“The NNPCL must learn how to do things the right way and avoid politicising everything, as this is why our economy has nosedived.
“That is simply the NNPCL’s usual way of prioritising politics over issues that affect the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
“If Obasanjo says the refineries are not working after we have wasted about $2 billion on them, he is merely stating that we should have handed the plants over to private individuals to get them working optimally through private partnerships.”
– The PUNCH.
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