Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has refuted claims made by the former Governor of the state Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu that while in office he sought for and got approval for a loan of $181 million from Islamic Development Bank for the dualization of Minna-Bida road.
“I went to Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to seek for an interest free loan to dualize the Minna-Bida road, but by the time the Money came I have left office in 2015,” Aliyu had claimed during the flag off PDP campaign for the November local government election.
Dr Aliyu wondered why the present All Progressives Congress APC government has not utilised the money for the purpose intended which has resulted in the total collapse of the road and travellers facing untold hardship.
He asked the people of the state to challenge the APC government to say what they have done with the money.
Dr Aliyu also accused the APC government of abandoning the security agencies in the state a development that has brought about serious insecurity across the state.
However a statement issued by chief press secretary to the Governor, Mary Noel Berje on Sunday in Minna, described the claim as baseless and a cheap propaganda aimed at promoting PDP preparatory to the 2019 Local Government Elections.
On the security Issue, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello reminded the former Governor to get his facts right as security issues must not be politicized pointing out that APC government considers human lives very important and will continue to protect the lives and property of nigerlites and Nigerians by extension.
“However, we all are not un-mindful of the former Governor’s witty nature, but the thing with witty men is that they get out of their way while speaking even when it comes to sensitive issues .
” This is the only explanation as to why former Governor Babangida Aliyu will claim that he secured a $181 million loan at the verge of his leaving office.
“Since we don’t believe in lies like they do, we will like to put the records straight He (Dr Muazu Babangida) engaged a firm to prepare feasibility report on the project but he never paid a Kobo, which confirmed the assumption that he did that to play politics with the people. Only Babangida Aliyu can call this achievement.
The current administration of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello paid the firm,” the statement said.
Bello pointed out that his predecessor never secured a loan for Niger state from the Islamic Development Bank, adding that it was the current administration that made advancement to obtain such a loan for the purpose of construction and dualization of the Bida-Minna road.
“It is outrageously ridiculous, even for a “reputable man like Babangida Aliyu, to now claim that he secured such a loan on the verge of leaving office. It is especially insulting to the intelligence of his audience for him to claim that such funds were misappropriated. Anybody with a good sense of judgement should know that the Islamic Development Bank is not like the usual commercial banks that grant loans and permit the receiver to expend the loan at will.
“To secure an international loan, states require the approval of the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly, but such an approval was never granted, nor was it ever sought by the government of Babangida Aliyu led administration, neither did the State House of Assembly or even the Council he chaired ever deliberated on the matter,” he explained.
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