…Says Okowa’s Vice Presidential Bid Behind Loan
A group, Students & Former Student Leaders Forum (SFSLF) has vowed to use every available legal means to stop Delta State governor and Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, fresh loans running into N120 billion from two commercial banks.
The group, which rejected the planned loan by the state government, stressed that it would mobilise Deltans to occupy Government House Asaba, adding that would not be allowed to mortgage the future of the state.
It also warned banks to reject the loan requests, alleging that the said loan will be used to prosecute Okowa’s vice presidential ambition in the forthcoming presidential election next month.
The Forum said unlike in the past where they took a passive posture when Gov Okowa went on loan shopping, warning that they will not stand aloof and watch the outgoing governor plug the state into further debt trap in his ill-fated Vice-Presidential bid.
Recall that a whistleblower and journalist, Fejiro Oliver, had on Thursday, alerted Deltans of a move by Governor Okowa, PDP Vice Presidential Candidate to obtain a fresh N120b loan from Premium Trust Bank allegedly owned by Okowa and Fidelity Bank.
The facility, according to the report, Premium Trust Bank would provide N100 billion while Fidelity Bank will provide the balance of N20 billion, which if approved will balloon the state debt profile to over N480b, a move that has generated reaction amongst critical stakeholders across Delta.
Reacting to the development in a press release issued and signed by the group’s Publicity Secretary, Comrade Godfrey Regha, they called on Governor Okowa to recede the decision to procure fresh loans in the interest of Deltans and generation unborn who will bear the burden of paying back.
The Forum also urged the members of the Delta State House of Assembly, to wake up from their slumber and prove Deltans wrong that they are not ‘figureheads and Rubber Stamp’ by rejecting the fresh loan request by Governor Okowa.
“We know that Governor Okowa faced with an impending rejection and defeat at the poll wants to plug the state into further debt to prosecute his ill-fate Vice Presidential ambition which to all intent and purpose is dead on arrival.
“We are calling on all well-meaning Deltans in the circle of Governor Okowa to appeal to his conscience to recede his ill-advised decision to take a whooping N120b loan in the twilight of his administration.
“If Okowa fails to heed our appeal, we will mobilise Delta Students and youths in the mother of all protest to occupy the Delta Government House at Asaba, we will not sit aloof and watch Governor Okowa for his selfish political ambition mortgage our collective commonwealth to feather the political next of Atiku.
“We are not unmindful that the leadership of the Delta State House of Assembly led by our brother, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori who also seeks to govern the state will as usual say the ‘Ayes’ have it, we, however, want to put him on notice that if they don’t act in the best interest of Deltans, they will be stoned when they visit their constituency.
“Delta state is bleeding and is in an intensive care unit due to the huge debt burden hanging on our nick, no thanks to Governor Okowa, but we will not allow Okowa and his gang to take another loan to our detriment, we will resist it with every lawful means necessary including blacklisting any banks that go ahead to grant him more loans,” the statement added.
For the past 24 years,there was never a sound development in Delta State stayed as the oil producing state despite allocation given by the federal government. Still,the sitting government kept loaning without any substantial project or good roads nor any social amenities any of them can boast of. PDP has been ruling without a positive effect. What kind of leaders do we have? Shame of the leaders shame on government.