Rabiu Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 elections, has urged the federal government to support the success of the Dangote refinery project.
The refinery recently gained attention when Aliko Dangote, chairman of the Dangote Group, accused international oil companies (IOCs) of hindering its operations by struggling to supply crude oil.
On June 4, Dangote raised concerns about these challenges. On July 15, Gbenga Komolafe, CEO of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), refuted these claims, stating that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) supports willing buyer-willing seller transactions.
Additionally, on July 18, Farouk Ahmed, CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), claimed that local refineries, including the Dangote refinery, were producing inferior products compared to imported ones. The oil regulator also accused Dangote of holding a monopoly.
In response, Dangote denied that his refinery’s products were substandard on July 20 and expressed willingness to sell the refinery to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
Following these developments, the House of Representatives launched an investigation into the allegations on Monday.
Kwankwaso addressed the situation in a post on his X page on Wednesday, describing the controversy surrounding the refinery’s integrity as an “unnecessary fuss.” He emphasized the federal government’s duty to support such a significant project fairly.
“I had the privilege of visiting the magnificent Dangote Refinery, and I was amazed by the commitment that went into its establishment,” he wrote. “This 650,000-bpd refinery is crucial 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 undermines the hard work done to maintain fragile investor confidence in our economy.
“We must rally around this national asset to ensure the success of this monumental project. It cannot fail, and the Nigerian government must demonstrate fairness and confidence in both domestic and foreign critical investments.”
(cable)