2023: Okowa denies diverting Delta’s N20bn to fund PDP campaign

Delta State Government has denied using a N20 billion loan facility to fund political campaigns in the state.

The denial was a reaction to a recent allegation by a group, Delta Grassroots Coalition, saying Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had completed plans to divert the loan to fund elections.

In a statement signed by its national coordinator, Kazie Ochie, in Asaba, Delta State capital, the coalition said Okowa “had concluded plans to corner and divert the N20 billion loan recently approved by the State House of Assembly to acquire three percent equity in the UTM Offshore Limited floating liquefied natural gas project into funding his vice presidential ambition and that of the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Sheriff Oborevwori.”

“We urged Deltans to rise up and reject the phoney borrowing by the Governor Okowa-led administration in the name of funding an ‘elephant gas project’”.

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However, Delta State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Fidelis Tilije, who spoke to newsmen on Monday, said the loan was meant for investment in a floating gas company to be domiciled in Warri.

Tilije insisted the proposed investment will create job opportunities for the citizens and boost revenue generation in the state.

“The state government gave the company the condition of scting its operations in Warri before it could invest in the project”, the Commissioner insisted.

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