Lies Against Me!” – Amaechi Breaks Silence On Dangote Refinery Controversy

Former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has debunked claims that he denied Rivers people the opportunity of hosting the Dangote Refinery, describing the allegation as false and misleading.

In a statement conveyed through his ally and former nPDP National Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, Amaechi clarified that billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote never approached his administration for land to build a refinery in Rivers.

According to him, by the time Dangote visited Port Harcourt, construction of the multi-billion-dollar refinery in Lagos was already underway, and his request was solely for land to establish a gas plant—not a refinery.

This clarification comes in response to allegations made by former federal lawmaker, Chidi Wihioka, who accused Amaechi on national television of frustrating plans to site the refinery in Rivers due to alleged personal demands. Wihioka, who represented Ikwerre/Emohua Constituency, claimed Dangote abandoned the idea after conditions were allegedly placed before him.

Following calls from Rivers elders, including Chief Bob Wali, for Amaechi to address the accusation, the former governor reiterated that he never demanded anything from Dangote. Instead, he said he approved land at the Onne Seaport for the proposed gas project.

Amaechi stated: “I never asked Dangote for anything. I gave him land opposite the Onne Seaport. He had already started constructing the refinery in Lagos but only wanted land for a gas plant.”