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Senate Probes Development Bank of Nigeria ,DBN

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The Nigerian Senate has launched a probe into the Development Bank of Nigeria, DBN

The investigation is to unravel the unequal share of N500bn loans by the bank

A Senate adhoc committee has been set up to carry out the investigation into alleged uneven disbursement of N500bn to the six geo-political zones

A Senate resolution from a motion sponsored by Senators Ali Ndume (APC Borno South) and Ibrahim Bomai (APC Yobe South) respectively called on the bank to ensure equitable disbursement of the loan to the respective zones and expand its facilities beyond sectors already captured.

Areas considered for the loan are oil and gas (42.0%), manufacturing (16.0%), agriculture, forestry and fishery (7.2%), trade and commerce (6.3%), and transportation and storage (3.5%).

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who presided over Wednesday sitting, named the chairman, Senate Committee on Banks, Insurance and other financial institutions, Senator Sani Musa, to head the adhoc committee while Senators Ibrahim Danbaba (North West); Ayo Akinyelure (South West); Mathew Urhoghide (South South); Ali Ndume (North East); Uche Ekwunife (South East) and Sadiq Umar from the North Central as members.

The committee has two weeks to carry out the probe and report back

Debating the general principles of the motion, Senator Ndume alleged that there exist a huge disparity and uneven disbursement of half a trillion naira loan to the six geo-political zones and states in the country in 2021 by the DBN.

He cited Lagos State as the major beneficiary with 47 percent of the total loan while the entire Northern region got 11 percent.

Ndume said: “The bank’s Annual Integrated Statutory Report 2021 obtained on 13th July, 2022 from the organization’s website, the bank was able to disburse a loan worth N483,000,000 only out of which only 11% went to the 19 states of Northern Nigeria while 47% went to Lagos State alone.

“The 11% of the loan that went to the North totals about N53,130,000,000 and that the 47% that went to Lagos State alone totals N227,010,000,000 only.”

Senator Ndume expressed concern that “the loans were given to the the six geo-political zones, where the data showed that the South West accessed the lion’s share with 57% of the total loan, which is estimated to be around N273,740,000,000 only.”

He was also worried that “the South South accessed 17% which is roughly N81,940,000,000 only the Federal Capital Territory, FCT and the North Central accessed 11% which was N53,020,000,000 only, South East accessed a paltry 9% which was roughly N43,380,000,000 only, the North West, which has 5% accessed N24,100,000,000 only, while the North East accessed only 1%, the least share of the total loan at roughly N43,820,000,000 only.”

According to him, the DBN exists to alleviate financing constraints faced by the Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, MSMEs in Nigeria through providing finance, partial credit guarantees, and technical assistance to eligible financial intermediaries on a market-conforming and fully financially sustainable.

He, however, noted that lack of awareness of the existence of the loan or even the DBN, religious belief that precludes Muslims from taking interest loans, and lack of formalization of business as most loans require that one has a registered company, corporate bank account and a good business plan have hampered the uneven disbursement.
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ANTI PARTY ACTIVITIES: Esan Central APC, Suspends Nine Leaders, Appoints Bello

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Nine Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Esan Central LGA have been suspended at an extraordinary meeting held this evening at Irrua, the LGA capital.

The suspended leaders include APC State Vice Chairman, Chief Francis Inegbeniki, Esan Central foremost Party Leader, Prince Willy Shaka Momodu, Ward Leader, Hon Abudu Ugbesia, among six others.

The suspended nine APC leaders are alleged to have held a clandestine meeting at a hotel in Eidenu, Irrua on the eve of the House of Assembly election and resolved to work against their party candidate for the House of Assembly election, Hon Victor Edoror. It is alleged that they were induced by the ruling party and their grand conspiracy to disallow Hon Edoror to get into the House and become the Speaker which might scuttle their agenda for Esan governor candidate from Esan Central LGA.

The meeting which was attended enmass by angry members and party executives of the party across the LGA appointed former LGA Councillior, and House of Assembly election aspirant, Hon. Bello Oyaziwolo, as the acting Leader, to oversee the affairs of the party pending the determination of the investigation into the degree of involvement of each of the suspended leader.

Interestingly, the Deputy Leader of the Party in Esan Central LGA and former Vice Chairman of the LGA, Hon Francis Ubene, was exempted from suspension because preliminary investigation revealed that he was in the meeting allegedly called by Chief Inegbeniki, but he refused to agree with their alleged plan to sabotage the election for Hon Edoror because according to him “I have forgiven him and if I have forgiven him, I cannot work against him or the party”.

Speaking with Hon Bello, after the appointment, the new LGA Leader said he was not interested in Leading the party for selfish reasons but would commit himself to helping the party rid itself of betrayals and inept leaders in the LGA and hopefully allow a free process to produce the next LGA Leader.

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Delta: Oborevwori’s Victory, A Turning Point, Says Ebireri

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Media Consultant, Henry Ebireri, has urged Delta State governor-elect, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori to embark only on programmes that are genuine, attainable, purposeful, durable and people-oriented.

He also urged him to make a significant impact at improving the lot of the masses.

In a statement in Sapele, the media consultant described the March 18 governorship election in Delta State as ‘’’a turning point, a landmark in the history of the oil rich state’’.

He appealed to Oborevwori to steer Delta State in the needed direction.

‘’There is a very high expectation from the governor-elect by the people. He must direct his energy towards inculcating the spirit of self-reliance among the citizenry through economic and empowerment programmes’’

The media professional listed security, youth and women empowerment, agriculture, health, education, infrastructural development, industrial revolution, cultural and tourism rebirth,  communication and sports development as key areas to be addressed by the governor-elect.

The statement underscored the future of Delta youths infrastructure and security challenges.

He urged Oborevwori to be fair to all.

He also urged him to recruit only qualified, competent and meritorious hands to help him develop the oil-rich state.

 ‘’They should be people of integrity, honesty and trust. The team should comprise only tested, dedicated, loyal, courageous, selfless, focused and visionary men and women’’

Ebireri further commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for his immense contribution to the political development of Delta State.

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Senator Ovie Omo-Agege Rejects INEC’s Declaration of Oborevwori As Winner of Delta Poll

A while ago, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Delta State announced Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, gubernatorial flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor-elect following the March 18 governorship election.

The declaration was made despite the myriad of infractions and acts of impunity on the part of the PDP in the course of the election. These were brought to the attention of INEC with incontrovertible proof.

The March 18 election was characterized by massive fraud, unprecedented vote buying and voter suppression perpetrated by the PDP in the course of the election.

The fraudulent nature of PDP’s so-called victory are just too damning and daring for it to be acceptable in any decent society. Most of those infractions are on the public domain and known to INEC officials and the security agencies involved in superintending the election.

In the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections, the results pointed to an unequivocal rejection of the PDP. Of the three senatorial zones in the state, APC won two while PDP controversially edged out the Labour Party in the Delta North Senate race.

It was an unadulterated verdict of Deltans on how they have fared under 24 years of governance of their state by PDP.

On the basis of the factors listed and more that will come later, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, governorship candidate of the APC in Delta State as well as the leadership of the party, unequivocally reject the declaration by INEC of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori of the PDP as winner of the March 18 governorship election.

We will challenge this fraudulent result using all legal means.

As a democrat and Deputy President of the Senate, Omo-Agege will explore all lawful avenues to reclaim the mandate freely given to him by the good people of Delta State.

To the numerous supporters of APC and the entire public that share in Omo-Agege’s vision of building a new Delta State, we urge you all to remain calm, peaceful and law abiding.

I can assure all our teeming supporters and all Deltans that the PDP pyrrhic celebration of a stolen mandate will be short-lived.

By the grace of God and the clearly expressed wish of the people, this electoral heist will be reversed and Senator Omo-Agege will be sworn in on May 29, 2023 as the lawfully elected Governor of Delta State.

Signed
Sunny Areh
Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy President of the Senate and Governorship Candidate of APC, Delta State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege

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