Ohaegbu: Dangote should run for presidency in 2027

A former Federal Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, chapter, Chief Barrister Obunike Ohaegbu, has called on billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote, to run for presidency in 2027.

Barr. Ohaegbu made the call during an interview with Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.

Ohaegbu, after reviewing Dangote’s business acumen, financial exploits and global achievements, concluded that he is the right person to pull Nigeria out of its current economic doldrums.

Speaking to DDM correspondent, he said: “Over the years, Aliko Dangote has built stupendous wealth on alleged government supports and patronage.

“He knows what strategic support from a government in power could do to a private business enterprise.

“Recently, he has engaged the media on a number of issues trying to save his business and that is obviously out of character.

“Those moving against his business need to watch it and apply caution.

“They may get more than what they bargained for.

“Nothing! I mean absolutely NOTHING stops Dangote from running for the Presidency in 2027 and funding would never be a problem even though, he may not spend a kobo of his own.

“Dangote a big masquerade and everyone should deal with him, cautiously. He is indeed a big masquerade!

“I am not a prophet, but I know what I am talking about.”

Ex-Federal Commissioner of Public Complaints Commission, Barr. Obunike C. Ohaegbu, Ksji

Ohaegbu extols Dangote’s business exploits

Speaking about Dangote’s business exploits, the former PCC Ombudsman noted that Nigeria should be running to him as a business guide and not the current pull him down (PHD) syndrome against his enterprises.

Ohaegbu emphasised: “He built a refinery from scratch.

“At this point, Nigeria needs to be run as a business and these troubles could be the trigger Dangote needs to throw his hat into the ring.”

He noted further: “The Dangote Group started as a small trading firm in 1977. Dangote relocated to Lagos to expand the company.

“He received a ₦500,000 loan from his uncle to begin trading in commodities, including bagged cement, rice, and sugar.

“Over the years, the Dangote Group has grown significantly and now includes divisions like Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Cement, and Dangote Flour.

“It dominates the sugar market in Nigeria and employs over 11,000 people in West Africa.

“As of May 2024, Aliko Dangote’s net worth is estimated at $15.3 billion, making him the richest person in Africa, the world’s richest black person, and the 132nd richest person overall.

“He built his conglomerates; and what makes anyone believe he cannot build Nigeria?”

Lamentations of Dangote

Recently, Dangote has been in the news where he was seen on camera lamenting over perceived injustices against his business interests.

Among his perceived traducers is the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited.

(NNPC Limited is the government agency officially responsible for marketing the country’s petroleum resources.)

According to the business mogul, NNPC Limited denied him access to the country’s crude oil for a successful execution of his 650,000 barrel-per-day refinery.

DDM learnt that, consequently, he had to source for crude oil from far away United States of America.

Ohaegbu had wondered how the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government will deny him a material as abundant as crude oil, which Nigeria is the largest producer in Africa!

“I am not a prophet, but I know what I am talking about” — Ohaegbu

The turn of events reached a crescendo when the President of Dangote Group was seen lamenting, echoing what Ohaegbu decried.

According to Dangote, a friend of his warned him against laying his investments in Nigeria.

He noted that he went against his friend’s advice and invested in the country with the resultant predicament.

Now, he said, the friend is taunting him over his recent predicaments and for ignoring his advice.

Speaking during an interview with Premium Times on July 21, Dangote said:

“Four years ago, one of my very wealthy friends began to invest his money abroad.

“I disagreed with him and urged him to rethink his actions in the interest of his country.

“He blamed his action on policy inconsistencies and shenanigans of interest groups.

“That friend has been taunting me in the past few days, saying he warned me and that he has been proven right.”

Dangote refinery as a service to the nation

Dangote further described his investment in his refinery as a service to the country, laying credence to Ohaegbu’s notion.

He cried out: “As you probably know, I am 67 years old. “In less than three years, I will be 70.

“I need very little to live the rest of my life. I can’t take the refinery or any other property or asset to my grave.

“Everything I do is in the interest of my country. We have been facing a fuel crisis since the 70s.

“This refinery can help in resolving the problem, but it does appear some people are uncomfortable that I am in the picture.

“So, I am ready to let go, let the NNPC buy me out, run the refinery.

“At least the country will have high-quality products and create jobs.”

The refinery had come to life in 2023 after a decade of prolonged construction.

It also gulped a whopping $19 billion, more than double the initial estimate to construct.

Dangote had envisaged a Nigeria weaned off its reliance on fuel from overseas as soon as his refinery roars to life.

He also planned that the country would save up 30 per cent of the total foreign exchange spent on importing goods.

Echoes of government’s interference

Following the lamentations of Dangote, an insider close to the federal government, who spoke on condition of anonymity, observed:

“The biggest investor in Nigeria and Africa’s richest man makes this statement about a country’s economy…

“This is a big signal turn off to foreign investors.”

He, therefore, urged Nigerians to think outside the box now because coming years of Tinubu’s administration “will be very gloomy”.

“Economy doesn’t respond to magic but principle, commitment and consistency backed by sound economic policy and action,” he warned.

Another observer simply noted that Tinubu’s government is against Dangote because he refused to bankroll his election campaign in 2023.

It was on this premise that Barrister Ohaegbu called on the billionaire businessman to run for presidency in 2027.

According to Ohaegbu, he will not only be saving his business empire, but will be salvaging Nigeria in the same vein.

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