By John Oba
Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) has called the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) allegation of corruption against the managing director of NEXIM Bank, Mr. Robert Urya,” cheap blackmail and distraction to the reform going on in the bank.”
Addressing a press conference yesterday, the national president of the coalition, Comrade Bassey William, said the group had investigated into the reasons behind the call by the CNPP Urya suspension and found that it was not just to distract the management of the bank but retrogressive.
Bassy said: “After series of investigations we realised that the call is mere blackmail and deliberate attempt to distract the management of NEXIM bank especially the MD, as it is obvious that there is no money missing in NEXIM rather that NEXIM bank was almost in moribund before the appointment of Mr. Robert Urya as the MD is now doing very well to the extent of attracting foreign investors and becoming one of the best EXIM banks in Africa.
“As part of our observations, the MD has ensured even the attitudinal change of the staff with a lot of capacity building and development, making the staff now professional, these are some of the things that the distracters have labelled ‘misconduct and highhandedness’, therefore we use this opportunity to call on the CNPP to cross check their facts before making such call, as such call is not just distracting but retrogressive.”
The group, therefore, distanced itself from the proposed protest, saying that the “allegations are untrue and should be disregarded.”