Chairman, Senate Committee on
Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, PDP – Delta North, has asked the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to provide evidence that he
took a loan of N1.2 billion from the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, NEXIM.
EFCC had claimed that Nwaoboshi
secured a N1.2billion loan in 2014 under the Local Industrial Growth Scheme,
when he was sitting on the Board of Directors of NEXIM Bank, alleging that part
of N1.2billion facility was diverted for other use other than what it was
granted for.
Reacting, Nwaoboshi said, “I
didn’t take a loan of N1.2bn. I challenge EFCC to show the documents that I
Peter Nwaoboshi took a loan of N1.2 billion. The company in question has
Nigerian and Chinese directors. It is a manufacturing company. They approached
NEXIM bank to take a loan of N1.2 billion.
“Because I know some of the
directors, I excused myself from participating in the process in accordance
with the law. It was the Deputy Governor of CBN who was the chairman of the board.
“The minutes of the board meeting
are there. I told the board to excuse me and they did. The company offered a
security valued at N3.5 billion as collateral. The records are there.
“The company in question provided
documents verified by the bank that they were given a contract of N1.9 billion.
The loan was for running cost, purchase of equipment and raw materials. This
was verified by the bank. The bank went to Delta State and verified that the
contract was given.
“The tenure of the loan was for a
period of five years. It means it will expire in 2019. The company domiciled
the payment of that contract to NEXIM Bank and the Delta State Government has
been paying the money into this account in the bank, including the one they
paid just last week.
“Where now lies the diversion.
Even if the money was diverted without conceding, NEXIM Bank will return after
five years and recover their money. Where now lies the offence?
“For the records, the Delta State
Government does not pay through the company. They pay directly to the bank.
EFCC has written to Delta State Government and they have been told that no
offence was committed.
“The bank never complained to
EFCC. EFCC on its own is pushing for this case because they think we are
supporting some people. In any business I transact, I try as much as possible
to move within the law. I am a free man, I am a lawmaker, I don’t break the
law.
“I am a little bit hesitant to
speak further on the matter because EFCC has not actually come out to say that
they are behind the stories flying around. The facts are in NEXIM Bank. The
Profoma invoice for the execution of thee contract is in the bank; they are
verifiable.
“What the law requires you is to
pay the loan and at the end of the tenure of the loan facility, the bank calls
for the loan and interest. If you cannot pay, the bank will refer to the
security. The loan still has two year period to go.”
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