“It’s Time”: Influential Kano Politician, Kwankwaso, Wades Into Dangote/NNPCL Feud

• Popular NNPP chieftain, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has spoken positively about the quality of groundwork at the Dangote refinery in Lekki, Lagos
• Legit.ng reports that Aliko Dangote, Africa's richest man, has been in the spotlight lately following his conflict with Nigerian oil regulators
• Kwankwaso called on government agencies to support the Dangote refinery, citing its importance to Nigeria’s economy and well-being

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public journalism in Nigeria.

Kano, Kano state - Rabiu Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 election, on Wednesday, Jul 24, said the Dangote refinery is ‘essential for Nigeria’s energy needs and economic stability’.

Kwankwaso, in a statement he personally signed and shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) page, said the refinery “must be protected from all forms of threat”.

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'Dangote refinery must not fail' - Kwankwaso

Describing the project as “a national asset”, the presidential hopeful urged Nigerians to support it.

Legit.ng reports that Kwankwaso’s comment comes amid Aliko Dangote’s recent decision to halt investment in Nigeria’s steel industry to avoid the accusations of being considered monopolistic.

The billionaire who hails from Kano state also stunningly declared his willingness to give up ownership of his multibillion-dollar oil refinery to Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).

Reacting to the imbroglio, Kwankwaso wrote:

“I was privileged to visit the magnificent Dangote Refinery, and I was marvelled by the sheer commitment that went into the quality of its establishment.

“This 650,000 bpd refinery is essential for our energy needs and economic stability, and it must be protected from all forms of threat.

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“The creation of unnecessary fuss around its integrity by some vested interests is very unfortunate, and it stands to undo all the years of hard work to maintain the fragile investor confidence in our economy.

“It’s time for us to rally around this national asset to ensure that the monumental project does not fail. It cannot fail, and the Nigerian government must understand this by demonstrating fairness and confidence in both domestic and foreign critical investments.”

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• Dangote saga: Senate raises alarm, moves to investigate economic sabotage in petroleum sector

Dangote refinery: Alleged part played by Jonathan

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Reno Omokri, a former special assistant on social media to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, said his erstwhile boss “literally begged Aliko Dangote to go into oil refining and power generation.”

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Omokri said Dangote “vehemently refused” Jonathan’s request.

Source: Legit.ng