The stage seems set for the emergence of new business billionaires in President Bola Tinubu’s administration if the body language of this administration is anything to hold on. The monopolist billionaire,Aliko Dangote is having troubled times with the present government now.
Recall that the President set up a team led by former FRCN boss, Jim Obazee to look into the books of CBN and other organizations.
The Obazee Committee was said to have submitted its interim report to the President some weeks ago and since then, things have not been the same with the head of the Dangote conglomerate.
Villa sources confirmed that he had attempted to see the President about two weeks ago but waited for seven hours and was only able to see the President for between ten to fifteen minutes.
The meeting did not yield the desired result.
Insiders revealed that Obazee findings indicted Dangote for collecting $3.4billion from Emefiele-led CBN and what he paid back was $1.9billion in Naira value leaving an outstanding $1.5billion which he didn’t pay the naira equivalent.
The President is said to have insisted that the $1.5billion must be paid back. Moreover President is said to be miffed that a Nigerian could collect so much money in hard currency and didn’t pay the Naira equivalent to the coffers of the government.
Since the first encounter did not yield any fruitful result, Dangote was said to have attempted to see the President again, but was not successful. Villa sources revealed that he waited in vain and as he couldn’t see him in the office, he tried to ambush him during the Friday prayers at the Villa mosque where the President had gone for prayers but could only exchange greetings with Tinubu and had to leave after all efforts failed.
According to our source, the President has really been avoiding him because of the implications of compromising the Obazee findings.
Confused and really disturbed, Dangote is said to have reached out to prominent Northern emirs to intercede on his behalf with the President so that he could be given a soft landing.
Dangote has never hidden his relationship with Emefiele while the latter presided over the CBN.
At a point during the official commissioning of his refinery in Lagos, he told everyone present, including the then President that the refinery would not be standing but for Emefiele’s support.
Credit: Ola Fapson
