Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has expressed scepticism over the move by the Federal Government to rehabilitate the Port-Harcourt Refinery.
Wike said the All Progressives Congress-led administration would raise Nigerians’ hope by giving avalanche of, what he described as, “empty promises” as part of the party’s political gambit for the 2023 general election.
He stated this last night while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme.
The Federal Executive Council had, yesterday, approved the plan by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to rehabilitate the Port Harcourt Refinery with $1.5bn.
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Commenting on the announcement, Wike said the news was nothing to cheer about, adding that Nigerians should take the promise with a pinch of salt until it is fulfilled.
“We have heard these promises and nothing has happened,” he said, adding that “approval is not disbursement of fund”.
The governor said, “If it (refinery) is going to work, it will improve a lot of economic activities, there will be employment for the people of the state. We will be happy but I am saying that we have had these promises and promises and nothing has happened. So, I don’t want begin to say hallelujah. Let us wait and see what will happen based on the approval and the statement made by the minister of state, petroleum. We will hold him accountable to it.
“We know, even before the (APC) government came into being, they have promised a lot of things and later they come up to say because of these challenges and that, they are not able to fulfill them.
“We are going into 2023, so many promises will be made, so many approvals will be made.”
