The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, said he would privatise all oil refineries if elected as president.
Atiku said this during a special interview with the Voice of America during a visit to Washington.
“My position on this remains the same, I have said years ago and I am saying it again, I will sell it to the private sector.
“Because, if you sell it to investors, they will manage the companies well,” Atiku said in an interview with the head of VOA’s Hausa Department, Aliyu Mustapha Sokoto.
Regarding the problem of oil theft in southern Nigeria, Atiku, who held the position of vice president between 1999-2007, would use his power as a president to deal with the problem.
“This is a different problem which we must figure out how to deal with it using the power vested in the government to ensure it no longer exists because there is a cordial agreement between those working in the NNPC and security operatives, those who were given the responsibility of watching over oil vessels across the country.”
Nigeria has four oil refineries in Kaduna, Warri and Fatakwal, which are not working properly because they need repairs.
As a result, most of the crude oil used in the country is imported from foreign countries.