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How Amosun frustrated Dangote to move project to Lagos –Gov. Abiodun
Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun have blamed his predecessor in office, Ibikunle Amosun for the circumstances that caused the $19 billion Dangote refinery to be moved from Ogun State to Lagos.
Abiodun stated this in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin in reaction to allegations by a 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 State
Abiodun, who revealed that he served as Chairman of the Olokola Free Trade Zone in the state’s Ogun Waterside Local Government Area under the previous Governor Ibikunle Amosun, claimed he was not involved in the actions that drove Dangote out of the state.
The refinery, which was officially opened on Monday in Lagos, was originally planned to be built in Ogun State, but negotiations between the Ogun State government and the wealthy businessman broke down, forcing the project to be moved to Lagos.
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Abiodun claimed in the statement that Amosun should be held accountable for Ogun’s failure to win the bid to host the mega refinery.
“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,” the governor lamented.
Explaining his role, 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.”