Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticized the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) for its recent invitation to him, calling it disrespectful.
The NNPCL, through its spokesperson Olufemi Soneye, invited Obasanjo to tour the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries following comments he made during an interview on Channels Television.
In the interview, Obasanjo highlighted failed attempts to privatize the country’s refineries and lamented their poor management.
He revealed that a $750 million offer by Aliko Dangote to manage the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries was rejected by his successor, late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, in favor of NNPCL’s assurances that it could handle the operations—a claim Obasanjo doubted.
Obasanjo expressed frustration that over $2 billion has been spent on the refineries since 2007 with no tangible results. He also contrasted the inefficiency of government-run refineries with the expected success of Dangote’s privately owned refinery.
In response to the invitation, Obasanjo, speaking through his media aide Kehinde Akinyemi, criticized the NNPCL for failing to issue a formal letter and instead extending the invitation via a public statement.
He described the gesture as an insult to his office and person, stating, “Is that the right way to invite a former president? It is a total disrespect for the office.”
The NNPCL spokesperson claimed the refineries had undergone extensive rehabilitation and invited Obasanjo to witness the progress.
However, previous report shows that the Port Harcourt refinery revealed limited activity, with truck loading operations inconsistent and workers reporting ongoing calibration.
Reacting to the incident, Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere and the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) criticized the NNPCL for its approach, calling it disrespectful and politically motivated.
Afenifere’s Secretary-General, Chief Sola Ebiseni, emphasized that Obasanjo’s critique was valid, given years of mismanagement of Nigeria’s refineries. CUPP’s National Secretary, Chief Peter Ameh, added that Obasanjo’s remarks highlighted the need for private-sector involvement to improve refinery operations and criticized the NNPCL for prioritizing politics over efficiency.
Despite the ongoing doubts about the refineries’ functionality, NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari announced on December 31 that the Warri Refinery had resumed operations. However, skepticism remains among Nigerians about the true state of the refineries.