Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, former Nigeria’s Aviation Minister and spokesperson to former President Jonathan has joined the cream of Nigerians to commend the nation’s apex oil company, the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and its leadership on their sustained efforts to bring back the moribund Port Harcourt refinery back on stream.

The activist and social critic attributed the feat to President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda and the company’s GCEO, Mele Kyari’s tenacity, bravery, ingenuity and forthrightness, cautioning detractors and those angling to sabotage the efforts to rather embrace the development.

In a statement Mr Fani-Kayode said: “The resurrection of the PH refinery is one of the most encouraging things that has happened in the petroleum sector for many years and the credit for this must go to the the President and the GMD of NNPC.

“It is a pity that some elements in the private sector who are new in the field are doing all they can to undermine and understate this great victory for Nigeria. The oil business is not the same as selling sugar, spaghetti, cement or rice and no matter how hard you try you cannot muscle your way and create a monopoly on the sale of refined products as you did for other commodities over the years.

“NNPC will go from strength to strength and once its other refineries are working as well Nigerians will have cause to smile again. Let the new kid on the block flourish but let the NNPC refineries flourish too. That should be our goal and not a squalid attempt to discredit NNPC and its leadership.

“Every optimistic and true lover of Nigeria’s progress and President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda must be proud of the GMD Mele Kyari. His tenacity, bravery, ingenuity and forthrightness has been rewarded with this great feat. Surely this is hope renewed for Nigerians.”