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Senator Adams Oshiomhole accused African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar of shutting down Michelin and Dunlop operations in Rivers State, saying the closures left thousands of workers without jobs. The comments were made at an All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
Oshiomhole said the two companies were major employers in the state and that their sudden exit had caused significant job losses. He added that the government in which Atiku served as Vice‑President under former President Olusegun Obasanjo watched the companies pack up and leave.
“Who closed down Nigerian industries? Who closed down Michelin? Who closed down Dunlop? Who reduced Nigeria to an importer of everything from underwear to socks? It was done by the government and party which Atiku belonged to,” Oshiomhole asked.
“It was done by the government and party which Atiku belonged to,” Oshiomhole said.
Oshiomhole criticised Atiku for now raising unemployment concerns while his own administration failed to protect existing jobs. He argued that Atiku cannot promise new employment opportunities when his government could not safeguard the jobs that already existed.
The senator’s remarks highlight the broader debate over industrial decline in Nigeria and the role of political parties in safeguarding local employment.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>