The immediate-past Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has berated Governor Dapo Abiodun, saying that he lied against him over the relocation of the $19bn Dangote refinery from Ogun to Lagos State.
Amosun spoke through his media aide, Bola Adeyemi on Wednesday via a statement signed and released in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital.
According to excerpts from the statement, Amosun exonerated himself from the relocation.
Amosun said, “It is most uncharitable for anyone to churn out lies that Ogun State was in a position to unilaterally frustrate the project or was responsible for the logjam.
“With respect to all sides, it accords more with logic to appreciate the fact that Alhaji Aliko Dangote took business decisions of his own in accordance with the goals of his business strategy and risk assessment.”
Amosun explained that the Olokola Free Trade Zone project was not solely owned by Ogun State, saying, it was a Joint Venture from its conception in 2007.
He explained, “The Federal Government of Nigeria owned the majority 51%, Ondo State Government (14.5%), Ogun State Government (14.5%), and strategic core investors (20%). Alhaji Aliko Dangote, according to the information available to us when we took office, subsequently bought, and took over the 20% equity of the core investors. Ogun State was a minority equity stakeholder only, without proprietary strength and capacity to take sole decisions on the Joint Venture enterprise.”
Amosun clarified that as Governor at the time, he appointed two carefully chosen stakeholders of Ogun East/Ogun Waterside Local Government extraction to represent Ogun State’s interests in the joint venture enterprise and advise the state.