The Dangote Group has dismissed as false and malicious claims of a rift between its President, Aliko Dangote, and the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu, and also rejected allegations that he (Dangote) solicited support for financing his refinery project.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the group described as “entirely baseless” a publication stating that Dangote had revealed why he distanced himself from Elumelu, stressing that neither the businessman nor the organisation made such remarks.
The statement, signed by the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, said the report misrepresented both personal and corporate positions and added that there was no disagreement between the two prominent business leaders.
“The Dangote Group has become aware of a publication titled ‘Aliko Dangote Speaks Out on Why He Distanced Himself from Tony Elumelu’, which is false, malicious, and baseless. At no time did the President or the Group make such statements or express such sentiments,” the statement read in part.
The company further dismissed claims that the multi-billion-dollar Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals was financed through personal borrowing from friends, describing such assertions as inaccurate and a deliberate misrepresentation of facts.
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According to the group, Dangote does not fund projects through informal personal loans, noting that any such claims should be backed by verifiable evidence.
“As a matter of principle, Aliko Dangote neither finances his projects through personal borrowing from friends nor engages in lending arrangements of that nature. Any individual making such claims should provide verifiable evidence to substantiate them,” the statement added.
The group also clarified that there was no strain in the relationship between Dangote and Elumelu, maintaining that both men continue to enjoy a longstanding and cordial relationship despite the claims circulating in the report.
The clarification follows the circulation of a widely shared online post which alleged that Dangote fell out with Elumelu after a failed financial assistance request during the construction of the refinery.
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