Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described an open invitation by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, to tour the newly revived Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries as disrespectful.
Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo’s spokesperson, made this known on Friday.
It should be recalled that the NNPCL invited the former president to the renovated facilities after he accused the state-owned oil corporation of rejecting Aliko Dangote’s $750 million bid to oversee the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries.
Obasanjo had criticised NNPCL for rejecting Dangote’s offer despite its incapacity to manage the plants.
However, in response to NNPCL’s invitation to tour the resurrected Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, Obasanjo stated that the invitation was a clear insult to his role as former President of Nigeria.
According to him, NNPCL did not think it appropriate to formally invite him to the tour.
“Is that the right way to invite a former president of the country? Who says Baba has even seen the statement or read the news? It is a total disrespect for the office of the former president.
“Ask the NNPCL that as of January 2, have they written to him? Is there any official letter addressed to him, inviting him to the refinery?
“It is an absolute insult, and the former president cannot dignify such with a response,” Obasanjo’s aide stated.
