Dangote: I am not a politician, won’t, can’t confront Buhari in 2019

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Aliko Dangote, billionaire and chief executive officer of Dangote Group, PHOTO: Jason Alden/Bloomberg

African's richest man, Aliko Dangote, has debunked reports he is warming up to contest the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He spoke in an interview with Daily Times, against the backdrop of a report that officials of PDP’s think-tank, set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan, have contacted him to fly the party’s flag in the 2019 poll.

While distancing himself from politics, the industrialist said, “I am an entrepreneur. My passion is to create jobs for Nigerians and not otherwise. “I am not interested in politics and this is authoritative. No member of any think-tank committee has contacted me. People should stop dropping my name for the 2019 presidency,” Dangote said, adding, “I also seize this opportunity to warn name-droppers to desist from their infamous act. They should stop using my name for politics... I have high regard and respect for the president.”

The business mogul further stated that persons who are envious of his business exploits are attempting to build bad blood between him President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he said; “is like a father to me.”

“This whole thing is an attempt by people who do not like me. They are doing all these with a view to putting me on a collision course with President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling party. They are people who are jealous of the successes I have so far recorded in business.

“My passion is for business development, provision of jobs and wealth creation, not politics. I have never shown interest in politics. I’m not interested in politics. I am not a politician. My passion has always been business and business,” he stressed.

“For emphasis once again, I am not a politician. I can’t and won’t confront President Buhari. They should leave me out of any high-wire politics and horse-trading.

“By the time the ongoing Dangote refinery in Lagos and the sugar projects come on stream fully, there will be a great positive development and thousands of jobs created that will change the narrative in the country. That is my passion.”