Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has faced criticism on social media for his swift congratulatory message to President Bola Tinubu’s administration over the purported processing of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at the Port Harcourt Refinery in Rivers State.
The controversy arose after SaharaReporters revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) was not actually trucking PMS from the refinery as claimed. Instead, sources disclosed that NNPCL blended “Cracked C5 petroleum resins” with other products, such as Naphtha, and sold it as though it was processed by the refinery.
Despite these allegations, Obi posted on social media at 7:23 a.m. on Wednesday, commending NNPCL for what he described as the “revamping” of the Port Harcourt Refinery. In his statement, Obi praised the refinery’s reported production capacity of 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day and anticipated the dispatch of 200 trucks daily.
He also acknowledged the reported revival of the Kaduna refinery, calling it a “promising development” expected to boost productivity and alleviate economic burdens. However, Obi emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in NNPCL operations, urging that the benefits of increased refining capacity be used for long-term development.
The post sparked a wave of reactions, with critics accusing Obi of failing to verify the refinery’s operational status. Some of his supporters urged him to delete the tweet or conduct further investigations before making public statements.
Social Media Reactions:
@D_lone_wolf_II: “Mr. Peter Obi, the NNPC plant that has just opened has been reported to be a SCAM. They are blending random chemicals and selling it as ‘PMS.’ If I were you, I would take down this tweet or, at least, edit it.”
@ibirogba2000: “Obi just confirmed that President Tinubu is the best president in the history of Nigeria. This is a welcome development. Peter Obi, this is a good time for you to become one of Tinubu’s spokesmen.”
@DavidsOffor: “They are canceling PO for celebrating a success achieved by this FG. How bitter can people be that whenever their country is making progress, they are wailing. Kudos to PO for the boldness. It’s about Nigeria first.”
@NaijaHistory_: “Today in Nigeria history will remember how Peter Obi congratulated a fake PH refinery revamping by the lamba Tinubu regime.”
@DailyJusticeAct: “Did Peter Obi do due diligence before his post? Agbado and his gang simply moved their Malta blending scam to Port Harcourt, and you are congratulating them.”
While some critics called for Obi to retract his statement, supporters of the administration celebrated the message as evidence of Tinubu’s achievements. The controversy highlights the polarized reactions to government initiatives and the scrutiny public figures face in addressing them.
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