By Editor
Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday, said he was not to blame for the relocation from the State of the $19bn Dangote refinery to Lagos.
During the administration of former governor Ibikunle Amosun, Dapo Abiodun was the Chairman, Olokola Free Trade Zone, in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the State.
Abiodun confirmed this much in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, on Tuesday, saying he should not be blamed for the loss to Ogun State as he was not part of the moves that frustrated Dangote out of the State.
Abiodun’s statement was in reaction to a former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Segun Sowunmi, who blamed the incumbent governor for the loss of the $19bn Dangote refinery to Lagos.
Abiodun however said that his predecessor, Amosun, should rather be blamed to the effect that Ogun lost the opportunity to host the mega refinery.
Its on record that Dangote had initially chosen Ogun State for the site of the refinery, which was inaugurated on Monday, May 22 in Lagos.
However, discussion broke down between Ogun State government and the billionaire businessman, leading to the relocation of the project to Lagos.
Abiodun said: “Any true born Ogun indigene will sincerely be pained by the huge investment loss, especially when Ogun had been marked as the most suitable natural location for the mega project in Olokola Free Trade Zone, in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the state”.
He said: “Governor Abiodun, as the chairman of the committee and a big player in the oil and gas industry himself, did everything possible to make sure the project saw the light of the day.
“The then governor, perhaps, having a personal axe to grind with the promoter of the refinery project, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, frustrated all the efforts of Governor Abiodun and his committee.
“The immediate Chairman, Board of Directors of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Mrs Ronke Sokefun, who was then a Commissioner, served as the Secretary of the committee, which engaged Dangote on the mega project.
“Instead of showing enthusiasm towards hosting the project in the state, the former Governor brazenly opposed and obstructed efforts of the Abiodun-led committee in ensuring that the OKFTZ came into fruition.”
