Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described the Chief Executive Officer of the Azikel Group of Companies, Dr. Eruani Azibapu, as a brilliant entrepreneur and a leading industrialist in Nigeria.

The ex-President, who spoke at a reception dinner in honour of the industrialist in Abuja, also hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for recognising and decorating Eruani with the special medal of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).

Jonathan commended Eruani for his resilience, commitment and patriotism to the Nigerian economy through substantial investments toward the accelerated growth and development of the country.

“Dr. Eruani is a trailblazer for surmounting the challenges towards the establishment of the Azikel Refinery, which is the first private hydro-skimming modular refinery in Nigeria. “With a targeted aggregate output ramped over 25,000 bpd, the refinery is geared to reverse the nation’s status of being net importer of refined petroleum products to become net exporter soon,” he said.

He, however, urged Eruani, who was conferred with the third highest national award of CFR, to sustain the good work and assured him of his support.

He also advised him to continue to grow and make progress in building the nation’s critical infrastructure and energy sustainability.

Jonathan expressed delight in the fact President Buhari spotted Eruani for the national honours for his significant contributions in support of the Federal Government in infrastructure and the energy sector of the economy.

He reiterated that Eruani’s brilliance got him admitted as a medical student, and that he displayed same when he served as his Special Adviser on Community Health and Chairman of the State Action Committee on HIV/AIDS.

Jonathan said: “As Governor of Bayelsa State, I was proud of him for his extraordinary and innovative style and commitment to duty. His effort made Bayelsa the exemplary state in the efforts of mitigating the HIV/AIDS pandemic which led to the repositioning of Nigeria to a position of global reckoning in the battle against the scourge.”

In his response, Eruani thanked President Buhari for the honour.

He also lauded ex-President Jonathan who spotted him and lit up the fire and passion in him to contribute to national development and the challenge to build the energy needs of the nation by establishing the first private hydro-skimming refinery in Nigeria.