News Editor
…woos investors to develop Nasarawa oil potentials
….as campaign council raises over N1.2bn to support Governor’s reelection
Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has wooed investors from both within and outside the state, to come and invest in developing the oil potentials of the state.
Engineer Sule made the appeal during the fund raising in support of his reelection, organised by the Engr. A. A Sule/Dr. Akabe Campaign Council, at the Blue Spring Hotel, in Abuja, on Thursday.
According to the Governor, it has become necessary to appeal to investors to come in and develop the oil potentials of the state because the oil reserve in Keana, headquarters of Keana Local Government Area, is bigger than the 1.2bn barrels discovered in Kolmani.
“In Kolmani, they have acquired what is called 2-D and the 3-D. And that is why they were able to define this 1.2bn barrels. In Keana, they have only acquired 2-D and what they call enhanced 2-D because of technology. They have not yet acquired 3-D. The reserve size of Keana is already bigger than Kolmani,” Engineer Sule explained.
The Governor said he is using the opportunity of the fund raising ceremony, to appeal to prominent investors, as well as influential political office holders present at the event, to spread the gospel towards wooing investors to come and develop the oil potentials of the state.
He particularly pointed out that, mostly as a result of the erratic nature of the oil industry, the International oil companies refused to come in to develop the Kolmani but for Africa Oil, which invested three billion dollars in that oil field.
Engineer Sule said, the only way the oil reserve in Keana can be developed, is for local investors to come in and invest their money in the project.
“All the IOCs refused to go to Kolmani. Only Africa Oil which is operating onshore felt comfortable to go an invest over 3bn Dollars in that place.
“That was why I campaigned for this national chairman like there is no tomorrow because I know the influence they have. I know the oil companies will listen to them. We have some very wealthy people here. I know the influence also they have. We have some practical cooperate people here, I know the influence they have.
“And that is the reason why I am appealing, now that we have prospective investors here, I am appealing to you, now that we have people who have influence, Nasarawa State is ready to explode with economic activities once we are able to develop Keana,” he stated.
The Governor commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) under Alhaji Mele Kyari, for the innovation in Kolmani and for introducing an entirely new concept in oil prospecting in Nigeria.
He particularly commended the NNPC for introducing the integrated field development at the Kolmani, which is not obtainable previously in the country, where the issues of pipeline vandalization and environmental degradation are addressed.
“What the NNPC has done, may God bless Mele Kyari and some of his people, was to do something that we don’t even have anywhere in Nigeria. Not in Niger Delta, not anywhere. In the oil and gas sector, there is what we call integrated field development, where you produce the oil there, refine it there, you produce the gas there, you generate the power there, you produce the chemicals there,” Engineer Sule said.
He said with similar concept in Keana as well as all the other basins in the country, there will be no need laying pipelines for over 200 or 300 km in order to evacuate the oil to the terminals located in the Niger Delta.
He however appealed for the people of the state to support his administration towards ensuring lasting peace in Nasarawa State, as that is the only way investors can come in and invest their money.
The Governor used the opportunity of the event also to appreciate his friends that came all the way from Kano and Lagos to support his reelection campaign.
“I want to sincerely thank my friends who came all the way from Kano, many came from Lagos, like my brother, the MD of Foku, he was far away when he heard about this and he came. With so many of his friends to be part of this.
“And a lot of you who I knew from Dangote as the MD, have decided also to come. Some of you have donated silently, some of you have donated openly. I want to tell you I am very grateful,” Engineer Sule said.
The Governor equally appreciated the first executive governor of the state and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ssnator Abdullahi Adamu, as well as his predecessor, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura, for their continued support.
Chairman of the event, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said it has become necessary to support the second term bid of Engineer Sule because of what the Governor is doing in order to further develop the state.
On his part, former governor of the state, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura, described Engineer Sule as a product that sales itself, adding that the Governor has done the people of the state proud.
“Today, I am one of the happiest person because right out in 2018, I saw something that nobody saw. And now the people are craving for this very wonderful product. I must say, A. A Sule is a product that sales itself,” Senator Al-makura said.
He particularly commended Engineer Sule for his continuity in governance and for completing the projects started by all the governors that came before him.
“This is the kind of values we need in our leaders. Values that will add some kind of comfort, pleasure for the people we govern. I must say, A. A Sule has done all of us proud. He has been my project, he is my project and will continue to be my project until we take him to government house fir the second tenure,” Al-makura added.
During the event, over N1.2bn was raised in support of the reelection bid of Engineer Sule and his Deputy, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, with the chief launcher, Architect Aliyu Abubakar Oseze, donating N150m on behalf of himself and family, as well as another N350m on behalf of his friends and associates.
APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu donated N25m while also announcing another N50m from the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and another N25m from his friends and associates.
Architect Shehu Tukur donated N100m.
The appeal fund launching, a novel idea, remains one of the few that has happened, where friends, associates and we’ll wishers come together to raise funds in support of a candidate seeking for political office.
