I will make Nasarawa an oil-producing state – Gov

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said preliminary findings by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited has revealed that there is crude oil in Agwatashi and Assakio communities in the Obi Local Government Area of the state.

The NNPCL had found oil in Keana LGA and preparations are in top gear to commence its drilling in the month of March.

Speaking during an interactive session with All Progressives Congress stakeholders in the Obi LGA on Tuesday, the governor said his administration would not relent until Nasarawa State begins to enjoy the 13 per cent derivation as an oil-producing state.

Sule said the state government would sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the NNPCL on February 18, 2023, to enable them commence the drilling of the oil in Keana LGA without any hitches.

He appealed to the APC stakeholders to re-elect him in the forthcoming general elections, promising to bring more dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

The governor equally called on the stakeholders to elect all other candidates of the APC from top to bottom.

He said, “Preliminary findings have shown that there is oil in Obi LGA. This Saturday, February 18, the NNPCL and the Nasarawa State Government will sign an MoU to drill the oil in Keana LGA.

“In 2019, when I came out to campaign and mentioned oil, a lot of people assumed it was mere politics. That time, I promised that, by the grace of God, I will use the experience I acquired from my stay in Houston, Texas, global headquarters of oil.

“As of that time, oil was discovered only in Keana. A lot of people didn’t even know the extent of the oil discovery. The issue of oil has now become a reality. Now the NNPCL will drill the first oil well in March.

“I will not rest until we finally join the league of oil-producing states and we begin to enjoy the 13 per cent derivation. We expect to see appreciable progress by May this year.”

As part of his campaign, the governor also visited the palaces of the Osuko of Obi, HRH Alhaji Aliyu Dangiwa Ogiri and the Emir of Azara, HRH Alh. Dr Muhammad Kabiru Ibrahim II, to seek support.