…says ‘My boss is a businessman, not a politician’
The Group Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Dangote Group, Tony Chiejina, has refuted an allegation that his boss, Aliko Dangote, has endorsed the incumbent Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, for a second term in office.
Reacting to a report in an online medium that Dangote told newsmen in Abuja that he “shall continue to support his good and reliable friend, Mr. Godwin Obaseki known to have handled stocks and investment portfolios for Dangote Group”, Chiejina said the report was an outright falsehood and a figment of the imagination of the writers.
He said, “Our attention has been drawn to an online publication titled ‘Edo Guber: Dangote endorses Godwin Obaseki for second tenure’. This is the first time that I have seen people publicly campaign for electoral office using the name of my boss and I have to stop it immediately so that others will not try it in future.
“The said interview allegedly granted by Aliko Dangote in Abuja is an outright falsehood, a malicious, irresponsible and mischievous act aimed at tarnishing my boss’s reputation. Aliko Dangote has not travelled out of Lagos since March 19, 2020.”
Chiejina added, “In fact, he said he had not crossed the Lagos Third Mainland Bridge since that date. His name and personality should not be drawn into any political campaign.
“Aliko Dangote is an entrepreneur and business leader whose focus is on development, job creation and philanthropy. He has not endorsed anyone for electoral positions in Edo or any other state of Nigeria.
“We caution the public to ignore claims from any quarter that associate the Dangote name or brand with partisan politics.”
