continues with former President Olusegun Obasanjo joining the fray in his
interview with Premium Times. What is shocking is not whether the former
minister is innocent or not; the issue is the inaccuracies contained in the
latest attacks on Iweala and other actors by the former president.
Okonjo Iweala may have her weaknesses as all humans are bound to have but
it is wrong to write off her extensive positive contributions to this
nation both under former President Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan. Under
Obasanjo, Iweala was no doubt a great minister who spearheaded Nigeria’s
debt relief and plus with minus, she also did well in the last
administration. At least Nigerians know that the oil sector was not under
her care.
What is more annoying is the failure of the former president to say the
truth about how Iweala joined Jonathan’s cabinet after the 2011 polls. The
fact known to many insiders is that Chief Obasanjo indeed recommended
Iweala to Jonathan. His proposal then was that Ngozi possessed the
credential to revive some of the reforms which he (Obasanjo) put in place
but which were dismantled by former President Umaru Yar’Adua.
Former President Jonathan accepted the nomination and on the strength of
the former President’s recommendation, Iweala was given prominent roles to
play. Chief Obasanjo should have opened up further to tell Nigerians at
what point he parted ways with his God daughter. Those in the know will
tell you that the refusal of Iweala to rise against former President
Jonathan was responsible for the rift. Chief Obasanjo had expected all his
godsons and god daughters to support him in his attacks on Jonathan. Iweala
refused and that is what caused the disagreement between her and Baba.
The inaccuracies in the interview are not just about Dr Ngozi Iweala; the
case of Chief Emeka Offor is another point in question needing correction.
Most Nigerians are aware that the “controversial” Turn Around Maintenance
of Port Harcourt refinery was awarded to the Chrome Consortium put together
with some Romanian companies, before the Obasanjo presidency.
At the conclusion of the project,certificates of completion representing
different components of the turnaround maintenance were issued. The
certificates
were dated between July 25, 1999 and October 31, 2000, and duly endorsed by
NNPC Directors responsible for the project as well as the representatives
of Shell. All these certificates were duly issued during Baba’s Presidency.
And they are also in public domain.
How can the former leader now turned round to accuse Chrome of not doing a
job for which certificates of completion was duly issued by his government?
Is it also not unfair to now attempt to hold Chrome responsible for state
of the Port Harcourt refinery for a job completed as early as year 2000? So
is the father of the nation indicting himself or merely playing his usual
game of twisting the facts?
It is ridiculous that the former leader also said he could not do anything
to Offor because he has police and people around him. How can a president
claimed incapacity to touch a citizen because he has police and people? The
fact is the President was aware that Offor’s firm has done the job he was
given to do and so could not have been harrassed in any way.
Those who know the former leader very well are quick to say that the
purpose of the interview was to seek attention. Chief Obasanjo like to be
in the spotlight all the time. And it does not matter at whose expense or
whose name he falsely drag into the mud to stir controversy.
Whatever anybody may say about Iweala, she has made her mark as a finance
minister that introduced far reaching reforms in Nigeria’s public life.
Even after office, her reform initiatives stand firmly as is evident in the
single treasury account, integrated payroll systems, GDP rebasing,
sovereign wealth fund, among others.
For those who enjoyed this sadistic conduct of destroying notable national
figures, we pray the Otta farmer will not soon turn his gun against the new
president ,Muhammadu Buhari, who is widely acclaimed to be a man of
integrity. For the reading public, may be it is time we choose what to read
and what to believe.
* Sadiq sent this piece from Kaduna