• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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BusinessDay

Okowa defends N150bn ‘loan’ approved by state lawmakers

Delta working to become Nigeria’s MSME hub – Okowa

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has defended the alleged N150 billion loan request recently approved for him by the state House of Assembly.

He said the approval was not for a fresh loan as being speculated by his critics and opposition party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) but a “Bridging Finance” facility. It is not a fresh loan but an advance from the N270 billion owed the state by the Federal Government.

Okowa stated this during his quarterly media briefing at Government House, Asaba. He said that the N150 billion had been tied to projects embarked upon by his administration and his predecessor, explaining that the reason people questioned the approval of the facility by the House of Assembly was due to a lack of information.

He pointed out that his administration would not take any decision that jeopardise the peace, unity and overall transformation of the state.

Okowa at the forum also debunked the rumoured endorsement of aspirants for all elective positions ahead of 2023 general elections, promising that the primaries of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) would be fair, transparent and credible.

Read also: PDP postpones LG congresses, to announce a new date

“I have not endorsed any aspirant for any elective position in the forthcoming general elections. We shall provide free, fair, transparent and credible party primaries,” he said.

On the allegation that he hijacked the list of delegates, he described it as the handiwork of mischief makers, stressing that those who were out to derail the process did not succeed.

For those criticising the policies and programmes of his administration, Okowa advised them to be factual, and assured that nothing would derail him from fulfilling all his electioneering campaign promises.

Meanwhile, the governor cautioned political office holders to, at all times, speak truth to power irrespective of party affiliation.

He said the allegation of N2 billion allegedly spent on political appointees was untrue, and dismissed the statement as “most unfortunate”.