Niger State Government Refutes Ex-Governor's Claim Of Seeking An IDB Loan Of $181, For Dualizing Minna/Bida Road

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 dollars  from Islamic Development Bank for the  Dualization of Minna- Bida Road. 

In a statement issued by chief press secretary to the Governor, Mrs Mary Noel Berje described his claim that the money did not hit the State Bank account until  he had left office as baseless and a cheap propaganda aimed at promoting his political party preparatory to the 2019 Local Government Elections. 

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello said his administration will remain steadfast and will not succumb to blackmail especially by a political party that mismanaged the state affairs for sixteen years. 

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.

How ever, 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. 

Let us be very clear also: Ex-gov. Aliyu never secured a loan for Niger state from the Islamic Development Bank. It was not until the coming of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello that advancements were made by Niger State Government 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.

Former Governor Aliyu counted on the ignorance of his audience. He must have hoped that they did not know that the Islamic Development Bank does not pay monies into the account of governments after they approve loan for a state. The bank deals, and pays directly to contractors; contractors that 

 they would select after a rigorous and clear international bidding process have been completed. 

How can any individual invite the current government to account for monies that they cannot even have access to?

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 should also know that a number of reports are required by the IDB before such loan is considered, One of such is the Environmental Impact Assessment, this study was neither commissioned nor carried out by the Muazu Babangida administration. Nor was there a Traffic Census report which is required as justification for the dualisation. And nobody remembered any bidding, not even Babangida Aliyu. How can anyone remember what did not happen. 

His audience should ask him on what terms he secured this loan that is a figment of his imagination. He should explain also how he managed to secure a loan from an international bank without the State House of Assembly being in the know, and without the approval of the Federal Executive Council and National Assembly? 

Perhaps because we are not asking him to explain how his administration misappropriated funds including Teachers Salary Scheme that never came to fruition or the Minna City Center that never rose even after millions went into them. The Ward Development as well as the 10km roads projects that were smokescreens for embezzlement should be a topic of interest to Mr. Former Governor. As well as the 5-Star Hotel that never came to fruition even after the state funded it, and the disappearance of funds withdrawn from government coffers ostensibly for the construction of Minna Stadium, another one taken to dualise Kafin koro road which disappeared into thin air, how he paid himself over N2B as house rent, and viscously pauperised our local government workers where  fraudulently fretted away billions of Naira in the form of deductions of 7.5% of their salaries and monies.

Nigerlites must be mindful of, and disregard some unconscious characters who have failed them, and are now trying to warm their ways into people’s hearts with blatant lies.

Finally, for the records, the Government of  Abubakar Sani Bello, secured the clearance for the loan, paid for Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Report, paid for the Feasibility Report, presented the Traffic Censured Report, got the approval of the Federal Executive Council, got the approval of National Assembly, secured the approval of the State Assembly, and currently, following the approval of National Assembly, the present Governor has written to Federal Ministry of Finance and the Ministry has also written to IDB to validate the loan and IDB has included the project in its 2020 plan.