Marketers Back Tinubu on Refineries, Reject Obasanjo's View

Petroleum marketers have expressed their support for President Bola Tinubu's initiative to revive Nigeria's refineries, rejecting former President Olusegun Obasanjo's assertion that these facilities will never operate effectively again. The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and the Petroleum Product Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria back Tinubu's belief in the potential restoration of the refineries.

Billy Gillis-Harry, National President of the Petroleum Product Retail Outlet Owners Association, stated that Nigeria should not abandon its strategic national assets despite past failures in rehabilitation efforts. Tinubu, during a meeting with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, affirmed his commitment to making the refineries profitable, stating that mere operation is insufficient for success.

He accepted responsibility for the inherited assets and emphasized his focus on future improvements. In contrast, Obasanjo has consistently advocated for public-private partnerships, citing past experiences that led him to believe government ownership of the refineries is ineffective.