The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has recalled how former President, Olusegun Obasanjo shut down his (Atiku’s) company, Intels for 6 months when they were in power.
The former Vice President pointed out that his company has always been targeted because of his involvement in the fight for democracy.
Atiku said that Obasanjo closed Intels for six months during the government that he even served as a democratically elected Vice President when he had a disagreement with me.
Atiku stated this in an interview with the African Report, where he also revealed that he was one of the people who promoted Aliko Dangote.
Asked if his company, Intels was under pressure and if he was the one being targeted, politically, Atiku, said, “Intel has always suffered because I have been involved in the fight for democracy since the 1980s, when the military was in power. [Governments] will pounce on Intels – refuse me one licence or the other, close me down.
“Even the government that I served as a democratically elected vice-president, the president closed Intel for six months when he had a disagreement with me. […] He never found a fault with it and eventually opened it again.
“The last three years have been the worst in the history of Intels because our turnover dropped by 70%. Oil companies and gas companies are no longer investing in that sector because of the absence of laws that can guarantee their investment.
On Dangote, he added, “I am one of the people who promoted Aliko Dangote, but I’m never for monopoly. Import bans to some extent, but certainly not for a monopoly.
“As long as [a ban] is going to develop industries, which means creating jobs, as long as it is going to develop our infrastructure. I’m prepared to privatise the development of infrastructure in the country. That will create millions and millions of jobs.”
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