Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has described as disrespectful, the invitation extended to him by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, to inspect refineries.
The state oil company had through its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, who maintained that the refineries were now working, invited the former president for a tour of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.
The corporation’s invitation followed an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, during which Obasanjo recounted failed efforts to privatise oil plants in the country.
The former president expressed frustration over the mismanagement of refineries, noting that despite significant expenditure since 2007, no results had been achieved.
He explained that his successor, Musa Yar’Adua, rejected a $750m offer from the Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, to manage the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries.
According to Obasanjo, the NNPCL was aware of its limitations in managing the nation’s refineries but informed Yar’Adua that the corporation could operate them, leading to the rejection of Dangote’s offer.
Reacting to the invitation in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Obasanjo said such an open invitation was disrespectful to his office and person.
The former president, while speaking through his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, stated that the oil company 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 a response,” Obasanjo’s aide stated in the interview.
