Former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has dismissed claims that he denied Rivers people the opportunity to host the Dangote Refinery.
The allegation was made by former federal lawmaker Chidi Wihioka, who accused Amaechi of placing personal demands before Aliko Dangote, causing the billionaire businessman to abandon plans to build the refinery in Rivers State.
But in a message to his political ally, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, Amaechi clarified that Dangote had already begun constructing the refinery in Lagos by the time he visited Port Harcourt. According to him, the purpose of Dangote’s visit was to request land for a gas plant—not a refinery.
“I never asked Dangote for anything. I gave him land opposite the Onne Seaport. He had already commenced construction of the refinery in Lagos but wanted land for a gas plant,” Amaechi explained.
He said Dangote never returned to build the proposed gas plant despite being shown a suitable site, stressing that the claims against him were misleading.
The clarification follows calls by Rivers elders, including Chief Bob Wali, urging Amaechi to address the allegations aired on national television.
