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Tag: UBA

  • Anambra guber: Why I rejected money to support Uba’s APC candidacy

    Anambra guber: Why I rejected money to support Uba’s APC candidacy

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has revealed that he was offered money to accept the victory of the candidate of the party in the just concluded governorship election, Senator Andy Uba.

    Ngige said he was aware that no primary election took place to nominate Uba as the flag bearer of the party in the state but some people were offering him money to accept that the election went well.

    Ngige, who was addressing members of the party on New Year’s Day in his community, Alor said he rejected the money because it was against his conscience.

    “13 persons went for the election (primary) and I told them I do not have anointed aspirant. I told them it is God who makes a governor, it is also God who makes a president. I told them to go to the field and convince everyone to vote for them.

    “I told them what was going to happen was direct primaries, either by secret ballot or option A4. These aspirants listened to me and used their hard-earned money to run for the election.

    “None of them is a thief or stole money, so they used their hard-earned money and we did a primary election and we said everyone would go to their ward, that voting will take place from 8 am to 4 pm.

    “I even came from Abuja to participate in the process. Somebody of my status could not vote. I didn’t see any electoral materials here in Alor ward one. I am from this place, with no electoral officials or materials except INEC officials. There were the only people who came, our party officials never came.

    “By 5 pm, I called Governor Dapo Abiodun and told him nothing happened. I told him to postpone the election from Saturday to Monday he said okay, but they ended up announcing the result.”

    Ngige who however failed to disclose who offered him money said: “At the end, they said I should come and take money and say the election held. I, Chris Ngige should come and take money and say an election that I never participated in has held.

    “I told them I have all the money I needed, and that I have contested for all the positions I needed to contest for. It is only one position that I have not contested for. We are the founding fathers of this party, these were the same people who stood against us in the early days of APC and called us Boko Haram party.

    “Today, they are saying Ngige does not want people to come in and that I am now putting people who are my brothers in position. Do not listen to them, they are lying.”

    Ngige who also spoke about the decision to make Uba the leader of the party in the state said: “There is nothing like a leader in APC constitution. If you want to answer leader, you answer, but there is no such thing in the constitution of the APC.”

    He said: “2023 is the reason all these wayo people are here moving about, they have gone to collect money from people that they will work for them, but we will not allow them.

    “Now, they are going about saying they have written the names of the people who will become the ward, local government and state executive, but do not listen to them. It was the same way they wrote election results for the Anambra election and were going about, but when they brought it, it was dismissed.

    “It is the same way they will dismiss the list they are bandying about today. We will hold a very credible congress in Anambra State.”

  • Applause as UBA Group breaks record, dominates 2021 Banker’s Awards

    Applause as UBA Group breaks record, dominates 2021 Banker’s Awards

    Africa’s global bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc yet again, reaffirms its leadership position across Africa, as the bank is globally recognised as the African Bank of the year 2021 by the Banker Magazine, a leading global finance news publication published by the Financial Times of London.

    UBA’s solid financial performance, its excellent service delivery to customers and its continuous role of facilitating rapid economic growth across the African continent were some of the reasons that led to the bank being named best bank in 12 of its African subsidiaries and in Nigeria.

    UBA Nigeria Plc, UBA Benin, UBA Burkina Faso, UBA Cameroon, UBA Chad, UBA Congo Brazzaville, UBA Cote D’Ivoire, UBA Gabon, UBA Guinea, UBA Liberia, UBA Senegal, UBA Sierra Leone and UBA Zambia all came out top as the best banks in their respective countries.

    This will not be a first for UBA. In 2020, six of its subsidiaries in Benin, Cote D’Ivoire, Chad, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Zambia were winners of the Best Bank award.

    This year, the UBA Group is breaking a record with its exceptional wins as African Bank of the Year and Bank of the year in 13 countries.

    The total 14 awards makes it the first time ever in the history of the almost 100 years of The banker, that any banking group will be clinching as many as 14 wins in a single year.

    At the Virtual award ceremony which was held on December 1st 2021, the Middle East and Africa Editor for The Banker, John Everington, explained at the event that a rigorous and highly analytical process is made annually to reach the decision for each Bank of the Year award and the institution’s reputation for independence, authority and integrity is thoroughly applied to each submission.

    “While several African banks impressed the judges this year, there was no doubt as to the worthiest recipient of the Bank of the Year for Africa – UBA Group – a clear winner across a wide range of criteria. UBA has performed impressively across its footprint with a strong financial performance across most of its markets,” Everington said.

    UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Kennedy Uzoka, who expressed delight over the recognition from The Banker stated “Like I always say, at UBA, we must be doing something right. Winning 14 total awards in13 subsidiaries and the Bank of the Year on the African continent is a big achievement.’

    Continuing, Uzoka said, “The recognitions come as a reassurance that we are on track in consolidating our leadership position in Africa, as we continue to create superior value for all our stakeholders. We have our millions of customers across the globe and our many thousands of staff to thank for this. They are the very reason why we keep winning”.

    Since 1926, the Bank of the Year awards has been celebrating the best of global banking and is regarded as the industry standard for banking excellence. The 2021 edition highlights those institutions that have outshone their peers in terms of performance, strategic initiatives and response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The Banker Magazine is a publication of the Financial Times – a leading global finance news publication which has been in existence since 1888. The Banker magazine is the definitive reference in international banking for high level decision makers.

    United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than twenty-five million customers, across over 1,000 business offices and customer touch points, in 20 African countries.

    With presence in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and France, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail; commercial and corporate banking; innovative cross-border payments and remittances; trade finance and ancillary banking services

  • Anambra 2021: Let APC, Uba petitions be, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    Anambra 2021: Let APC, Uba petitions be, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    By Ehichioya Ezomon
    Before Anambra 2021, previous governorship elections in the state since 1999 had only two formidable political parties battling for control of power, but the November 6 and 9, 2021, poll showcased four parties scheming for the prime position.
    While the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) needed a win to retain the state it has ruled for 15 years, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a return to power that’s cut short in 2006; the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) wanted a foothold in Anambra for the first time.
    Each of the parties had a burden to discharge, with the poll serving as a referendum on the ruling APGA at the state level and the APC at the national stage, and a test case for the PDP and YPP.
    As the APGA and APC were judged on the achievements of the eight-year government of outgoing Governor Willie Obiano, and the six-year administration of President Mohammadu Buhari; the PDP and YPP were tested on their viability to take over power at the federal and local levels, respectively.
    Despite the fears that insecurity could mar the process, as witnessed pre-Election Day, the franchise, measured against past exercises, came out reasonably free, fair and credible. And the credit goes to all the stakeholders in the electoral management.
    From the results collated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Charles Soludo of the APGA polled 112,229 votes; Chief Valentine Ozoigbo (PDP) scored 53,807 votes; Senator Andy Uba (APC) received 43,285; while Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP) garnered 21,261 votes to rank first, second, third and fourth, accordingly, at the poll that’s initially inconclusive.
    The margin of lead of 58,422 votes, and the highest scores in 19 of the 21 local governments satisfied the constitutional provisions for INEC to declare Prof. Soludo as winner and Governor-elect, and subsequently issued him, along with his Deputy Governor-elect, Dr Onyeka Ibezim, a Certificate of Return for his victory.
    But as Prof. Soludo commences observing the countdown to the March 2022 takeover of power from Governor Obiano for his first term in office till 2026, he’s cautioned to apply the breaks.
    Not so fast, say the APC and Senator Uba, who contend that the election, widely adjudged as passing the credibility test, was fraudulently conducted to favour the APGA and Prof. Soludo.
    They aver to have facts to puncture what INEC has declared, which said facts they’re willing to place before the Election Petitions Tribunal, and possibly the Appeal Court and Supreme Court.
    But the APC and Senator Uba are facing fierce criticisms and opposition within and outside the party, with pressure mounting on them to shelve the court process and accept defeat.
    All “interventionists” in the Anambra election follow the same or similar train of argument, urging that the APC and Senator Uba’s attainment of the third position at the poll was an unprecedented feat worth celebrating by the party members.
    However, the clamour for the APC and Senator Uba to drop their legal redress is verging on blackmail, with some claiming that the Anambra people “will hate Senator Uba more” for defying President Muhammadu Buhari’s congratulation of Prof. Soludo.
    The don’t-challenge-the-election-outcome crowd seems to suggest that were the APC and Senator Uba to triumph in the courts, President Buhari would refuse to accept Uba as Governor-elect!
    What an illogical spin! Because the election is perceived as free, fair and credible, any aggrieved political party or candidate, no matter the facts at their disposal, shouldn’t contest the poll in the courts!
    While politicians often claim that elections they lose are rigged against them, the public shouldn’t view any challenge to even remotely credible polls as an affront to the people’s mandate.
    This is the scenario that’s dogged the APC and Senator Uba, with even high-profile members of the party not prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt in their claim of fraud at the poll.
    A major counter to APC’s averment is that Senator Uba fell behind the purported 230,201 votes cast by party members at the APC primaries, to assume the candidate in the November balloting.
    Indeed, where did the 348,490 accredited APC members, or the 230,201 members that “voted” for Senator Uba at the primaries go to on Election Day, that he received only 43,285 votes?
    The next puzzle is that, the 348,490 accredited APC members at the primaries that returned Senator Uba as candidate exceeded, by 95,102, the 253,388 accredited Anambra voters in November.
    The arithmetic is simple. If the 348,490 APC members at the primaries, the 230,201 members that voted to crown Senator Uba as the APC candidate, or half of either figures had showed up for the APC on Election Day, Senator Uba would’ve received more votes than the 112,229 votes recorded by Prof. Soludo, and be declared as the Governor-elect of Anambra.
    Obviously, the above calculations, and permutations informed the clamour for the APC and Senator Uba to toe the path of honour and acknowledge their resounding defeat at the election.
    That said, it’s the right of the APC and Senator Uba to seek redress in the courts if they felt they’re robbed of victory at the poll they didn’t register any win in the 21 local governments of Anambra.
    At a meeting of APC leaders in Akwa, the capital city of Anambra, the state party chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, and Senator Uba were empathic that the election was fraudulently conducted, and that they’d take legal action to remedy the alleged malfeasance.
    Ejidike said: “We are heading to court. APGA and INEC are aware that they compromised during the election and we have evidences to challenge INEC’s declaration in the court of law.
    “Ndi Anambra and the world at large would bear testimony to the fact that, on the eve of the election, the outgoing Governor Obiano administration had, through its Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don Adinuba, told everyone that the APC had written results of 10 Local Government Areas.
    “Unknown to us, however, that false alarm was aimed at deflecting attention from the manipulation of the BVAS machine by APGA and a top official of INEC – a fact which a national newspaper had, weeks earlier, drawn attention to.”
    In affirmation of that stance, Senator Uba said: “We will be heading to court with the discoveries we have, which show that the declaration of Soludo as the Governor-elect is faulty.
    “As governor, I was removed, after 17 days of being sworn-in, by (a ruling of) the Supreme Court of Nigeria and I did not die. So, the current development won’t hurt me… This, I can assure you.”
    So, let the APC and Senator Uba present proofs of the alleged manipulation of the November 6 and 9 combined election to the Election Petitions Tribunal, for the legal fireworks to begin.
    As Nigeria has, through the machination of politicians, ceded the final say on elections to the courts, we should salute the APC and Senator Uba for ventilating their grievances in the courts, and refrain from prejudging the outcome of the proposed writ.
    Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
  • APC, Uba indicting Buhari by rejecting poll results – Carl Umegboro

    APC, Uba indicting Buhari by rejecting poll results – Carl Umegboro

    By Carl Umegboro

    Anambra governorship election has come and gone. As expected, a winner and losers emerged. Prof CharlesSoludo of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) polled a total of 112,229 votes to emerge a winner. Other frontline contestants are Valentine Ozoigbo of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 53,807 votes; Andy Uba of All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 43,285 while the fourth position went to Ifeanyi Ubah of Young Progressives Party (YPP) with 21,261 votes. By geographical spread, APGA captured 19 out of 21 local government areas while PDP and YPP captured one LGA each. APC ended up as a floating party in Anambra with no LGA to perch or lay claim to as it didn’t win any. Having met the requirement vis-à-vis the 1999 Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria as amended and the Electoral Act, the Returning Officer for the poll, Professor Florence Obi; Vice Chancellor of University of Calabar returned APGA’s candidate. Prof Soludo as ‘elected by Anambra people’.

    However, one striking development that may not be forgotten easily that characterized the 2021 Anambra governorship poll is the massive number – 230,201 votes APC candidate, Andy Uba reportedly ‘polled’ during the party’s primary to defeat other aspirants. At the APC primary, record showed that a total of 348,490 Anambra-APC members converged and voted for respective aspirants. But at the governorship poll, total votes cast from the 21 local government areas in the state were 249,631 while total accredited voters were 253,388. A chieftain of the party from state, Dr. Chris Ngige (Minister of Labour & Employment) raised alarm that the primary election was a scam, but Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State who was the chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee for the state insisted it held and produced the result. By the poll results, it then implies that the number of APC members from Anambra that ‘congregated and nominated’ Andy Uba as the party’s flagbearer outnumbered the total number of all the voters during the governorship election. Maybe, explanations on their whereabouts during the election would suffice. So, Governor Abiodun and Andy Uba should explain.

    Now, after the election, while all other contestants have described it as credible and transparent, APC rejected the results claiming the party was rigged out by APGA that has no power over the umpire. On account of the allegations, APC didn’t show up to sign the result sheet accordingly after the supplementary poll at Ihiala LGA which was rescheduled by the Commission over alleged security threat. The Anambra APC forgot that President Muhammadu Buhari has repeatedly vowed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under his watch must give Nigerians free, fair and transparent elections, and assured that no one would interfere with the sacred mandates of the people. During the Edo election, the Presidency’s neutrality manifested clearly and President Buhari was extolled as a statesman.

    On Ihiala supplementary poll, believably, some INEC officials in connivance with some politicians attempted to play out a script by deliberately reserving Ihiala local government area for a separate election after testing other LGAs. Possibly, the plotters had expected that the frontliners’ scores would be close so that a barbaric politics would be deployed at the reserved battle ground. Unfortunately, APGA had a very wide margin that couldn’t easily be maneuvered by any means. With APGA’s margin and geographical spread, it became difficult to frustrate the mandate of the people through any form of electoral malpractices. Although, whatever intrigues, conspiracy or schemes eventually didn’t succeed in Anambra, repetition in future elections is unacceptable. Instructively, an election can only be rescheduled with a credible reason, and not rescheduling part of a poll meant to take place concurrently to a later date using veto power after announcing some results.

    Had it been the machines malfunctioned, it would be a genuine reason for not conducting the election in some polling units, but not for a whole town let alone an LGA. To reserve an entire LGA, as non-violent and peaceful as Ihiala LGA suggests some attempted foul plays. In Anambra state, there are towns that could be said to have such a peculiarity like Onitsha, Aguleri, Umuleri and some part of Awka, but not Ihiala town or towns that make up the Ihiala LGA.

    The danger if INEC had concluded the poll looking at the APGA’s wide margin and geographical spread without rescheduling a poll for Ihiala LGA is that a desperate candidate may tryout Hope Uzodinma’s style in Imo State and claim at the tribunal that the omitted LGA was his votes. With the Supreme Court’s precedent set in Uzodinma’s case, who knows, through technicalities, the court may calculate the figures and add to the claimant’s votes as prayed which was witnessed in 2020. So, INEC must ensure that it doesn’t submit to biddings of desperate politicians in discharging its duties.

    Recall that similar political intrigue from the center was adopted to frustrate the inauguration of a people-oriented project; Anambra International Cargo Airport constructed in less than two years by the outgoing Chief Willie Obiano-led administration. The undue influence and blackmails by officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) that acted the ugly scripts for some Anambra politicians leaves much to be desired of a federal government agency. A government and political party that delivers dividends of democracy to the people must be applauded and cheered irrespective of party affiliations, and not to use federal might to make mockery of the great feats. So, the NCAA still owes explanations on why it aborted the joy of Anambra people by frustrating the inauguration of the airport.

    Back to the alleged irregularities as claimed by APC, though the claims can be contested at the Election Tribunal perhaps to try out technicalities, but it is absurd that APC; Buhari’s party is the only political party rejecting the result thereby, unconsciously ridiculing Mr. President’s resolve to entrench credible elections in his tenure and beyond. Meanwhile, President Buhari has remarkably, congratulated Prof Soludo on his victory and described the election as successful and credible.Sensibly, Buhari’s party should celebrate a credible election as a credit point, and not to resort to mischiefs for selfish interests. Of course, if there are irregularities, aggrieved parties should seek redress to set the record straight, but where none exists, it should be celebrated particularly by APC as a credit to Buhari’s administration.

    Umegboro, ACIArb, is a public affairs analyst and social crusader.

  • Anambra 2021: You were Obasanjo’s shoe cleaner – Soludo mocks Andy Uba

    Anambra 2021: You were Obasanjo’s shoe cleaner – Soludo mocks Andy Uba

    Professor Chukwuma Soludo has described Senator Andy Uba, as President Obasanjo’s domestic staff whose part of his duties was shoe cleaning.

    The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chukwuma Soludo has described Andy Uba, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as President Obasanjo’s domestic staff who part of his duties was cleaning the former President’s shoes.

    Soludo disclosed this on Monday during the gubernatorial debate for the November 6, 2021, governorship election.

    Soludo claimed that Uba, who was a close confidant of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was a domestic staff in the Aso Villa, cleaning the former President’s shoes.

    The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) made the comments while speaking on his relationship with Uba during the Anambra governorship election debate organised by ARISE TV.

    He said, “I know Andy was a Masseur in the U.S.

    “He was a domestic staff in the Villa, who cleans the President’s shoes.

    “If throwing up my name gives Andy Uba a CV, then I will concede that to him.”

    Soludo also said that Uba begged him to join the APC.

    On the contrary, Uba said he made Soludo the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria during the tenure of the same former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Uba tagged Soludo as an ingrate after he allegedly recommended him to Obasanjo for an appointment for the post of CBN governor.

    He said that despite Obasanjo referencing him as the reason for Soludo’s appointment when some traditional rulers came to the Villa on a thank-you visit, Soludo never showed the needed appreciation.

    He was quoted as saying, “When he (Soludo) became the CBN Governor, he came to my house to say thank you.

  • Anambra poll: APGA’s Soludo accuses APC’s Uba of kidnapping, certificate forgery

    Anambra poll: APGA’s Soludo accuses APC’s Uba of kidnapping, certificate forgery

    Anambra governorship aspirant, Charles Soludo, has accused his opponent Andy Uba of kidnapping and forgery.

    The two clashed during the Anambra Gubernatorial Debate organised by Arise TV on Monday.

    Soludo, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, accused Andy of kidnapping a sitting governor and forging his Senior Secondary School Certificate.

    Speaking to Uba, he said, “You don’t have a Senior School Certificate Examination result. Did you obtain a Senior School Certificate Examination result Certificate in 1974, did you? It’s forgery!

    Ubah recently appeared in court over the school certificate he allegedly submitted for the election. The court documents stated that the Form EC9 he submitted to INEC was full of false information.

    The year Uba claims he sat for the exams, 1974, the West African Examinations Council, who was listed in the suit, did not conduct the SSCE.

    Soludo, who is the flag bearer of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in the election, accused Uba, who is with the All Progressive Congress, of allegedly being part of those who masterminded the abduction of a former Anambra State governor.

    “My co-debator Andy Uba] by my right kidnapped a sitting governor.”

    The Anambra Governorship election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, November 6. The debate featured the three candidates representing the APC, APGA, and the PDP.

  • Anambra governorship debate: Soludo, Uba, Ozigbo take stand on IPOB

    Anambra governorship debate: Soludo, Uba, Ozigbo take stand on IPOB

    Ahead of the November, 6 governorship election in Anambra State, major governorship candidates which include Andy Uba of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have made their stands on the issues concerning the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    The aforesaid contenders made their stance on IPOB public during a governorship debate, which is organised by Arise News Channel, with the support of a non-governmental organisation, Enough-is-Enough Nigeria.

    Speaking on the topic, Soludo said, ” I am on record speaking, I visited Nnamdi Kanu in 2016 in Kuje prison, with prominent people to ask for his release in line with a court order.

    Summarily, he said dialogue is the best solution to the IPOB issue.

    Ozigbo said Kanu is a product of leadership failure. He also urged for dialogue and called for Kanu’s release.

    On his part, Uba said he believes in engagement. He said the agitation is as a result of joblessness.

    On IPOB again, Uba declined supporting or condemning the group. He said engagement is the right step to take. Soludo is a pan Nigerian. He, however, said the IPOB deserves to be heard; dialogue. Ozigbo said there are certain things that IPOB does that he supports. He, however, said he does not support the group’s extremisms.

  • Infrastructure: Ozigbo questions Soludo, Uba’s integrity having held top public offices yet ignored Anambra’s deplorableness

    Infrastructure: Ozigbo questions Soludo, Uba’s integrity having held top public offices yet ignored Anambra’s deplorableness

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Anambra State governorship election, Valentine Ozigbo, has questioned the integrity of his counterparts, Andy Uba of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on the state of infrastructure development in the state.

    Valentine Ozigbo says the duo representinh APGA and APC have failed the Anambra people, as far as Infrastructure is concerned in the state.

    He stressed that both Soludo and Uba who hailed from his the same Local Government with himself had held top public offices in Nigeria and never did anything tangible with the privilege of holding such offices.

    Ozigbo made the remarks during a governorship debate, which is organised by Arise News Channel, with the support of a non-governmental organisation, Enough-is-Enough Nigeria.

    “Public-private partnership is essentially government revenue alone cannot fix the infrastructure.”

    Ozigbo added that he will also cut unnecessary waste to get funding.”

    Soludo speaking on infrastructure admitted that there is a road challenge that needs to be fixed. He said will declare a state of emergency on roads; continuing from where Obiano stopped. He also said he will launch an urban renewal agenda if elected.

    He also said he has thought through how the roads will be funded.

    On his part, Uba said he will also declare a state of emergency on roads. “Soludo speaking long English here,” Uba said. He questioned the APGA candidate about what he has been advising presidents about. The APC candidate also said he will ensure the state’s airport becomes effective, saying it’s not working at the moment.

  • GMD UBA, Kennedy Uzoka wins ‘Finovator of the Year’ Award

    GMD UBA, Kennedy Uzoka wins ‘Finovator of the Year’ Award

    The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Kennedy Uzoka, has been announced as the winner of the Finovator of the Year’ Award for the year 2021.

     

    The Finovator of the Year’ Award is organised by the Finnovex West Africa Awards 2021, co-located with Finnovex West Africa Virtual Summi, Uzoka was selected as the winner of the award in recognition and appreciation of his effort and exceptional service provided in the field of financial services.

     

    The United Bank for Africa, Africa’s global bank, was also named as winner, ‘Excellence in Digital Banking’ award at the same event.

    Uzoka who was excited over both awards disclosed that over the last few months, UBA has set out on a mission to upgrade its banking channels and has invested in the latest technology to boost its digital offerings to customers, adding that this venture has been paying-off for the bank.

     

    He said, “Recognitions such as these show that we at UBA, are indeed doing something right, and I want to assure all our customers and stakeholders that we will continue to leverage our diversified business model and dedicated workforce to further strengthen our position as ‘Africa’s Global Bank’.

     

    “We promise to do all we can to ensure that our customers remain central to our decisions in every aspect and dimension of our remarkable organisation, and this is more than a clarion call to service excellence,” the GMD said.

     

    While presenting the awards at the virtual event, the Conference Manager, Finnovex West Africa Awards 2021, Ancy Antony, said, “It is our utmost delight to honour the pioneers and visionaries who have transformed the financial services industry and present you with this award”.

    Ancy added that the Finnovex Awards cherishes and celebrates outstanding achievements in the banking and finance industry, and is aimed at honouring organisations and individuals, that have consistently demonstrated exemplary performance.

     

    As they congratulated Uzoka and the UBA Group over the awards, the organisers explained that the Finnovex is the leading series of summits on financial services innovation and excellence that examines the future of financial services on how disruptive innovations are reshaping the way they are structured, provisioned and consumed.

  • Anambra Guber: ‘Stop feigning ignorance about Anambra’s huge debts,’ Uba tells Soludo

    Anambra Guber: ‘Stop feigning ignorance about Anambra’s huge debts,’ Uba tells Soludo

    The Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO has asked former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Charles Soludo to stop feigning ignorance about the total debt liability of the state he so desperately seeks to govern.

    Soludo, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA in next week’s Anambra governorship election, had while speaking on Channels TV programme, Politics Today, yesterday, shocked the show’s host, Seun Okinbaloye, and viewers when he could not put a figure to the state’s debt profile.

    The usually verbose Professor of Economics had been pointedly asked if he knew what the state’s debt overhang was, and how he intended to deal with it.

    Instead of offering a definitive answer, the APGA candidate embarked on a rigmarole, before stating that he would find out when he becomes governor.

    Undeterred, Okinbaloye pressed further, pointing out that statistics from the country’s Debt Management Office, DMO, indicated that Anambra owed N60 billion in domestic debt, and $116 million in external loans.

    However, the real shock emerged when the eminent Professor, renown for his oratorical skills than sound macro economic solutions, said: ‘We are going to verify that. Borrowed from who, who are the creditors?’

    “We see Soludo’s demurred stance on a very sensitive issue that affects the lives of the people as cheap politics and an attempt to cover up the sins of his pay masters to the detriment of the State.

    “We are however happy that APGA’s antics are already known to the people who are waiting to finally send them packing on November 6.

    “Ironically, data released by the DMO on December 31, 2020 indicated that Anambra’s domestic debt stood at N59,013 billion as at September 30, 2020, while the state’s external debt profile was $115,886 million as at June, 2020.

    “In deed, it is shocking that a Professor Soludo who should have such information at the tip of his fingers, would elect to play politics with such information crucial to the lifeblood of the state, or was simply being mischievous,” Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, Director, Media and Publicity of the Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO said in a statement today.

    “Whichever is the case, Professor Soludo owes ndi Anambra the patriotic duty of researching into what really is the debt liability of our dear state, Anambra.

    “In fact, for a man who was two years ago, in November 2019, given the task of fashioning out the grandiose 50-year Anambra 2070 Vision Agenda not to be seized of important data such as the profit and loss account of the state, speaks eloquently about his capacity for accomplishing small, practical assignments.

    “Perhaps, it is this obvious flaw that caused former Minister of Finance and current Director General of the World Trade Organization, WTO to author a damning confidential report on Soludo in January, 2015.”

    Okonjo-Iweala: “There is definitely an issue of character with Professor Charles Soludo and his desperate search for power and relevance in Nigeria. Nigerians should therefore beware of so-called intellectuals without character and wisdom because this combination is fatal.”

    Could this character flaw have been at play when Soludo decided to cover up Governor Willy Obiano’s obsessive borrowing binge, in exchange for his role in seeking to puppeteer him into political office?

    “As an irreducible minimum, the Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO, requests Professor Soludo to undertake the urgent task of finding out the exact and total debt liability of Anambra state – for, in accomplishing this task, Professor Soludo would have rendered an invaluable service to a people he so eagerly crave to govern,” the statement added.