Babafemi Ojudu, a former Special Adviser on Political Affairs to the President in the office of former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has weighed in on the altercation between the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Dangote Refinery over quality of products and allegation of monopolistic tendency against Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, saying it was a ploy by people he called ‘entrenched cabal’ in the oil sector to fight the businessman for daring to venture into their honey pot – the oil economy.
Recall that NMDPRA chief executive, Farouk Ahmed, had a few days ago claimed that the diesel produced by the Dangote Refinery was inferior to the ones imported into the country, and that their fuel had a large content of Sulphur, which he put at between 650 to 1,200ppm ppm.
Ahmed also reportedly said that the Federal Government would not stop the importation of petroleum products, saying Nigeria cannot depend on one refinery to feed the nation.
The outbursts by the head of the regulatory agency has caused disquiet in the country and among industry stakeholders.
But, taking to his Facebook page to react to the development on Tuesday evening, Ojudu said: “Aliko’s offense now is that he has touched their honey pot—the oil economy—which they have drained for decades and wish to continue exploiting. The entrenched cabal in the sector and the new kids on the block will not tolerate Aliko’s intervention, which promises a game change in that notoriously murky sector. They have resolved to break this man of vision, and it appears they are succeeding.“
