Atiku expresses concern over the troubling conflict between Dangote and NMDPRA. Learn more about his stance and the issues at stake.
Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, has voiced his worry about the disagreement between Dangote Refinery and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) saying that the sizable investment is of great significance to Nigeria’s economy.
On Tuesday, Atiku took to his X handle (@atiku) and expressed concerns regarding the ongoing disagreement between @AlikoDangote and @NMDPRA_Official. He stated that Nigeria’s energy and economic stability heavily rely on Dangote Refinery’s success as it is currently the country’s greatest private investment.
The importance of the 650,000 bpd refinery for our energy requirements and economic stability has been emphasized by NNPCL’s investment.
By disregarding this issue, we run the risk of discouraging crucial foreign direct investment.
A nation undermining its key assets is unlikely to gain the trust of any investor.
To attract FDI and propel our economic growth, it is vital to safeguard sizeable investments such as Dangote’s.
The aspirant running for presidency under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023 expressed disapproval towards the federal government’s interference with Nigerians protesting against their challenging economic predicament. He deemed it contradictory that those currently suppressing freedoms had once led protests back in 2012.
On a different post under his X alias, he emphasized to the government that citizens’ constitutional right to protest should not be overlooked.
He stated that attempting to recruit individuals as sponsors of the protest is a pointless endeavor.
He stated that the Nigerian Constitution ENSHRINES the rights of citizens to protest and this has been AFFIRMED by courts, in order to eliminate any confusion.
The right to peaceful assembly and association is unambiguously safeguarded by Section 40 of the amended 1999 Constitution.
Attempting to identify imaginary individuals responsible for organizing the protests is a pointless endeavor. The reality of the situation is that Nigerians, including those who support Tinubu and the ruling APC party, are all affected by feelings of deprivation, frustration and despair caused by this government’s lack of proficiency and direction.
Ironically, the very people who spearheaded protests in 2012 are now attempting to curtail these same rights. A responsible administration must prioritize creating a SAFE and SECURE atmosphere for citizens to freely exercise their constitutionally protected right to NONVIOLENT DEMONSTRATION.
Suppressing these rights is not just against the constitution but also a direct attack on our democracy.
