ABUJA — The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday, welcomed ongoing bilateral discussions between Nigeria and the Republic of Niger which will result in piping crude oil from the Republic of Niger for refining at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, KRPC.

This followed a courtesy visit on the APC National Chairman by the Republic of Niger Minister of Petroleum, Foumakoye Gado and Ambassador of the Republic of Niger to Nigeria, Mansour Daddo, at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.

The APC National Secretary,  Mai Mala Buni; APC National Treasurer, Alhaji Bala Gwagwarwa and Chief of Staff to the APC National Chairman, Edwin Ikhinmwin, were present during the courtesy visit.

The Nigerien Petroleum Minister, who doubles as the scribe of the country’s governing Party for Democracy and Socialism, PNDS-Tarayya, stated that the cordial executive relationship between the two countries should be replicated at party levels.

Gado said: “We are here to strengthen the relationship between the two countries, specifically the political parties of both countries. We acknowledge the cordial relationship between the President of Republic of Niger and Nigeria, hence the need for us to come to the party to strengthen the relationship.”

We believe that the cordial executive relationship between the two countries should be replicated at Party level.

“It is line with this understanding that the two leaders (Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou) agreed to channel crude oil from Republic of Niger to the Kaduna refinery for refining. We have had discussion with the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Maikanti Baru to facilitate the plan.

“The project is unprecedented because in Africa we are used to exporting crude oil instead of refining it within the continent. This is the first time two countries are coming together for this sort of bilateral crude-refining arrangement.”