During an interview on News Central TV from 49:33, Olusegun Obasanjo, former president, spoke on past decisions involving Nigeria’s oil sector and negotiations around refinery operations.
Obasanjo recounted an episode involving businessman Aliko Dangote, where an offer was reportedly made to acquire stakes linked to Nigeria’s refineries. He said the discussion centered on a major financial proposal and government participation in the arrangement.
He explained that after the agreement was reached during his administration, subsequent discussions continued under his successor, involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Obasanjo added that he later engaged then-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to clarify the rationale behind the earlier decision.
According to him, “One day, Aliko came and offered $750 million to take two of the refineries, and that will be 51% and government… I said, ‘Wow, God, you are really God of miracles. Aliko, bring the money quick.’ He brought the money, and they paid. When I left, NNPC went to my successor and convinced him, and you say that I don’t talk and you don’t talk. You think I’m a fool like you talk. So I got up; I went to Umaru. I said, “Look, Umaru, maybe you don’t know; this is why we did what we did.” He said, “Well, NNPC came to me.” I said, “Look, you know that NNPC cannot run this thing.”…Read_More…