Abiodun, Amosun trade jibes as location of Dangote Refinery causes controversy in Ogun State

Because the inauguration of the Dangote Refinery in Lagos on Monday, Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, and his predecessor, Ibikunle Amosun, have exchanged phrases over why the challenge was not sited in Ogun State.

The $18.5 billion funding was to be sited in Ogun State however was moved to its current location within the neighbouring Lagos State.

Shortly after the inauguration of the challenge on Monday, some distinguished indigenes of the state expressed unhappiness on the lack of the challenge to Lagos State.

Segun Showunmi, a governorship aspirant within the Peoples Democratic Occasion (PDP), blamed the relocation on “unhealthy politics” and known as for a regulation “that punishes financial sabotage occasioned by unhealthy politics.”

In a press release he personally signed, Mr Showunmi mentioned: “I can’t however marvel what clarification Ogun State has for not housing that challenge that sits fairly inside our Ogun Improvement Grasp Plan with Olokola Free Commerce Zone in Ogun Waterside!

“It’s time to have a regulation that punishes financial sabotage occasioned by unhealthy politics! Nobody ought to be allowed to set again a state on the altar of successful an election, which greater than probably has queried integrity.”

However in a swift response, Governor Dapo Abiodun mentioned he was not answerable for dropping the refinery to Lagos.

The governor, who spoke via a press release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, mentioned a disagreement between Mr Amosun and Aliko Dangote price Ogun to lose the monumental challenge to Lagos.

Mr Abiodun was the chairman of the committee on the Olokola Free Commerce Zone tasks when the challenge was misplaced to Lagos State.

However the governor mentioned he did all the things in that capability to verify the challenge noticed the sunshine of the day.

“As we’re all conscious, the penultimate administration made considerable and concerted efforts to make sure that the Olokola Deep Sea Port and different ancillary tasks within the OKFTZ grow to be a actuality by rallying important gamers within the oil and fuel sector, together with Dangote Group.

“However, the successor authorities between 2011 and 2019, for causes finest identified to it, killed the challenge and annoyed the promoter of Dangote Refinery out of the state.

“The then governor, maybe, having a private axe to grind with the promoter of the refinery challenge, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, annoyed all of the efforts of Governor Abiodun and his committee,” the assertion reads partly

“Having grow to be governor in 2019, it’s on report that Governor Dapo Abiodun had all the time rued the missed alternative, and he’d launched into efforts in reawakening the OKFTZ. At totally different boards, the governor had made it identified that the Olokola challenge is a gold mine ready to be tapped by the state.”

Come out clear, Amosun tells Abiodun

Responding to the claims, Mr Amosun, in a 13-paragraph assertion signed by his media aide, Bola Adeyemi, challenged the governor to offer proof that he (Amosun) was answerable for dropping the challenge to Lagos.

Mr Amosun, who accused the governor of churning out half-truths, mentioned he had been reluctant to hitch points together with his successor, “I’m making this exception. It’s my hope that this can be my last phrase on the Olokola Free Commerce Zone and the Dangote Refinery Lagos relocation debacle.

“Let me put it straight: The Olokola Free Commerce Zone challenge was not solely owned by Ogun State. From its conception in 2007, it was a Joint Enterprise. The Federal Authorities of Nigeria owned the bulk 51%, Ondo State Authorities (14.5%), Ogun State Authorities (14.5%), and strategic core traders (20%). Alhaji Aliko Dangote, in line with the data availed us after we took workplace, subsequently purchased and took over the 20% fairness of the core traders. Ogun State was a minority fairness stakeholder solely, with out proprietary energy and capability to take sole selections on the Joint Enterprise enterprise.

” I’m proud to placed on report for posterity that the brouhaha and false impression in regards to the true and full possession of the challenge grew to become confused for causes of the proactive and investment-friendly disposition of our administration. Ogun State, below my management, went past and above responsibility and did all we may to make sure that the challenge noticed the sunshine of day. As Governor on the time, I appointed two (2) fastidiously chosen stakeholders of Ogun East/Ogun Waterside Native Authorities extraction to symbolize Ogun State’s pursuits on the three way partnership enterprise and advise the State. These had been Dapo Abiodun (now Governor) and Mrs Kemi Adeosun, then Commissioner for Finance, who by the way hailed from the host Neighborhood of the Olokola challenge. After Mrs Adeosun was elevated and have become a minister, one other son of Ogun East, Lekan Onamusi, took cost and represented Ogun State on the Joint Enterprise.

“Primarily based on the recommendation of our representatives on the challenge, we engaged the bulk fairness holder, FGN and our three way partnership associate, Ondo State Authorities, who had been very responsive and desirous to have the challenge in Olokola Free Commerce Zone. We additionally vigorously engaged Alhaji Aliko Dangote and did all the things attainable to make the enterprise take off. A complete of 10,000 hectares of land was made accessible. As a mere holder of 14.5% fairness curiosity, it’s most uncharitable for anybody to churn out lies that Ogun State was ready to unilaterally frustrate the challenge or was answerable for the logjam. With respect to all sides, it accords extra with logic to understand the truth that Alhaji Aliko Dangote took enterprise selections of his personal in accordance with the objectives of his enterprise technique and danger evaluation.

“Our place was that, on the minimal, 500 hectares from the Ogun State portion be reserved for the host Neighborhood, Ogun Waterside, as towards ceding all the land of the Olokola Free Commerce Zone. Certainly, in some unspecified time in the future and at my occasion, our revered Elders, Baba Olusegun Obasanjo and Kabiyesi Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona had been concerned, the place all of us met to make sure that the challenge was sited in Olokola Free Commerce Zone.

“Trying again to my time in Ogun State, I stay immensely grateful to God and the great individuals of our State for the alternatives availed us. Our information of achievements stay incontrovertible. We opened the State to real entrepreneurs and traders, which led to the inflow of huge private-sector investments. We additionally paid severe consideration to the safety of lives and properties—over 200 industries, each native and multinational, had been birthed in Ogun State. In a specific 12 months throughout our time, 75% of all the Nationwide FDI in the actual sector was birthed in Ogun State, a lot in order that President Goodluck Jonathan noticed the necessity to go to fee important personal sector-led tasks no less than 5 (5) occasions. Ogun State, below my watch, was certainly investor-friendly and traders’ vacation spot of selection as Ogun State actually grew to become the Industrial Capital of Nigeria. Ogun State’s financial system, on the time, grew sooner than the nationwide common. No quantity of concocted lies, blackmail and orchestrated falsehood will blight these unparalleled info.

“It’s, due to this fact, fascinating to learn that the current Ogun State governor holds me answerable for allegedly scuttling the Olokola challenge. For the good thing about the great individuals of Ogun State, Nigerians and posterity, we problem him, significantly as he was then the chairman appointed to supervise and be sure that the challenge was sited in Olokola Free Commerce Zone, to reveal with info, the place he or the Administration was remiss, and which could have led to the challenge being moved away from Ogun State.

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“The one factor I can recall that the federal government insisted on, was that about 500 hectares should be put aside and guarded for the good thing about our individuals in Ogun East, and particularly, the host group, Ogun Waterside.

” As Governor, I might by no means have knowingly let any alternative slip previous Ogun State and its individuals. I did my finest to the satisfaction and conviction of my conscience.

” As I conclude, it’s my hope that this intervention will give readability to the vexed topic of the Olokola Free Commerce Zone and the relocation of the Dangote Refinery controversy.

” As soon as once more, I congratulate the Dangote group and Alhaji Aliko Dangote for the arduous work, dedication, and dedication to the outcomes that all of us noticed on Monday,” the previous governor mentioned within the assertion.