Yesterday, Sahara Reporters put up a story on Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Find it here. The minister has seen it and denies the story. She says it's a smear campaign and her office has released a response to the story. Read it below...
This reference to Dr Okonjo-Iweala in this story lacks substance and credibility. It is based on two sentences in the Wikileaks cable uttered by an unidentified person alleging that Dr Okonjo-Iweala “steered” contracts worth $50m contract to her brother for “consulting work” in 2004.
First, the minister has no brother called Jon-Jon, as the alleged “brother” is identified in the story.
Third, as Minister of Finance in the Obasanjo government, Dr Okonjo-Iweala earned a name as a public servant of impeccable integrity who kept away from contracts and had no interest in dealing with contractors.
Fourth, this “revelation” obviously refers to a previous allegation about one of her brothers which was thoroughly investigated and discredited because it was found to have originated from vested interests. It is shocking that something that was discredited so long ago is being rehashed.
It would therefore be extremely unwise to give credence to such a flippant statement by an unknown and unconfirmed source. The story is simply a “tales by moonlight” account by an unknown source about something that never happened.
It is also important to note that one of the many reasons Dr Okonjo-Iweala enjoys such a high standing internationally is the fact that she has been thoroughly investigated and cleared by the most respected security agencies in the world.
With Okonjo-Iweala what you see is what you get. Anything else is fiction.
Paul C Nwabuikwu
Senior Special Assistant to Coordinating Minister for the Economy/Minister of Finance
6 comments:
Unless she takes legal action people may not believe her.
dem sha wan pull this woman down sha! na wa o...wikileaks una no try
Sakara i agree. I wonder if OBJ has a hand in it? Or?
Could she have done this and then go back to work for the World Bank? Or, double standards?
The que are:
i) whc consulting firm brokered $32B debt buy-back deal & for hw much?
ii) was der a competitive tendering 2 select the consultin firm
iii) was Okonjo iweala's bro working with or a director of d consul. firm
Thes ques are beggin 4 answers..
Nig just keep shoutin world bk.. Institution dat has no influence in US.
ou all are really plebeians and will never really know the truth. What baffles me though is "why the hell is it a big deal to make money when you relation is in government in Nigeria"? The above wikileaks is true and I personally don't know what is wrong in making money. I know the whole story and the said brother is a close pal, he did some consultancy work for a state govt and got paid, for crying out loud, the guy schooled at Harvard university. He finished the consultancy work, he busted his a** working for the state govt, got paid and now everyone's talking BS! is there any of you that will have a relative in govt and won't look for contract? even out here in North America up to Obama relatives de chop but the key thing is make sure you get the work done or you jeopardize the name of your relative that gave you the deal or contract. wikileaks my ass....mcheeeew!
So even if she did that, what's wrong with it? As long as the guy in question performed as expected and ddnt just do a shabby job.
They are just trying to drag her name in the particularly smelly mud in this country, what a shame! She's just too much for nigeria...
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