The Presidency has refused to join the former World Bank Vice President for Africa, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili in a national debate over the spending of the funds in the nation’s excess crude account.

Briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, insisted that Dr. Ezekwesili “lied shamelessly” and that there is no basis for entering into any debate with her.

Dr. Okupe advi sed the former Minister of Education to disclose to Nigerians the source of the money she claimed was left in the excess crude account by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

According the President’s aide, the figure stated in the account of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), grossly differ from Dr Ezekwesili stated.

He explained that as at May 2007, when former President Obasanjo handed over power to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the excess crude account had $43 billion and that as at the 22nd of January 2013, the excess crude account stood at $45.3 billion.

He therefore enjoined the former Minister to explain the source of her figures.

Dr Okupe further affirmed that the presidency will not engage in a debate with Dr Ezekwesili because the facts as stated in the books of the CBN are very clear. “I will not engage in a debate over facts that are clear. I will engage in debates over government policies but not facts” he affirmed.

“It is preposterous for her to be demanding a debate over an outlandish and incorrect figure she is giving to incite Nigerians against the government” Dr Okupe added.

Dr. Ezekwesili had on Monday, via her Twitter account, asked the Federal Government to accept her challenge to a public debate, as, according to her, “it would demonstrate a healthy democratic culture of responding to citizens.”

She also insisted that the $67 billion which the Obasanjo administration left in the foreign reserve and the excess crude account was brazenly misappropriated by the respective governments that succeeded him.

The former World Bank executive had earlier alleged in her keynote address at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka convocation that $67billion was mismanaged by the succeeding governments of late Yar’Adua and Jonathan.

Describing the allegation of misappropriations against her by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, on Sunday, as “careless” the ex-minister stated that the N458.1 billion in reference was the entire budget of the education sector, including statutory bodies to which sitting ministers had no access.

Mr. Maku had accused the former minister of misappropriating the said sum allocated to the country’s educational sector when she served as minister between 2006 and 2007.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txjqqRehTqU

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/01/29/ezekwesili-lied-shamelessly-doyin-okupe/

". . . Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs..."

that is where I stopped reading!
all these thieves serving for their own stomachs and betraying nigeria will never allow us to see the light
they should take up the challenge and debate ezekwesiri on facts concerning our stolen money.
they stop playing hide and seek!

And we're now supposed to trust Doyin Okupe.... the worlds greatest liar and government apologist "rolling my eyes". Okupe, Ezekwesili...all LIARS and self-serving bigots

OKUPE is an Ediot.

Doyin Okupe is a shameless thief.

It is wrong for Okupe to claim Ezekwesili lied shamelessly, she might not have gotten the right figures or probably she was misled but simple corrections will be appropriate.

Madam due process should also be advised to take a chill pill, no serious government will join issues with her in a public debate, she had her moments of glory as a minister and economic management team member under President Obasanjo, she cannot be totally exonerated from the rots she glibly talked about.

If she really wanna know how the ECA and FR got depleted, she knows where to channel her inquiry rather than demanding accountability on tweeter.

Which kind of M U M U talk b dis

He therefore enjoined the former Minister to explain the source of her figures.

And you said you are not ready for any debate

Madam Eze(for short) should get her facts correctly before she comes back. Cos the invitation can't be predicated on false alarm. But na Obj govt steal past o, I didn't hear her shout ole then. These women


Going back to bed. When facts are available, wake me up

Okupe is a pathological lying thief who has no iota of shame in him, so he sees nothing wrong in casting aspersions on others that he/she "lied shamelessly."
Even if "Madam Due Process" figures cannot be substantiated, the truth still remains that the $43billion government claim was the true figure was squandered/mismanaged because there are no visible impact of what the monies were used for!

This woman is a rabble-rouser and an attention seeker jare. Let her go and sit down somewhere. Coming out to make claims based on figures she cannot justify is as shameless as it gets. In any case, her veiled attempt to cast OBJ as a saint is an epic fail. OBJ's government is as corrupt, if not more corrupt, than previous and subsequent administrations. These people are just eeeediots looking for relevance.

I wonder why Okupe had to wait until Ezekwesili blew the whistle before he makes another criminal allegation with no bearing whatsoever on Ezekwesili's?

Coming from a man who trade in lies...Okupe doesn't talk, he lies. Its not the old thief's fault that is the core of his job outline. So if its Okupe be sure its a lie...madam Oby hw body? Lol

So unfortunate that the GEJ
administration is yet to
understand a tactical approach
of dealing with issues like this
rather than using an attack dog.
Obi Ezekwizili challenged the
government to a presidential
debate, but decided to turn
down the challenge. I
understand 'he who fights and
run leaves to fight another day'.
She was called upon to provide
her source of the allegation just
as if she wasn't part of the
Obasanjo's administration. If
they can't believe her, that means
we have no reason to believe
Okonjo Iweala, Labaran Maku
and Doyin Okupe himself.
Why does every criticism against
the government has to be a
means to bring down the
administration as claimed by Mr
Doyin. Government is not a metal
that is electroplated preventing it
from attacks but a standing tree
whose ability to withstand any
directional wind depends on the
firmness of its roots and rigidity
of its stem. They don't need
feeling paranoid on every
criticism if they are justified by
their work backup with perfect
evidence and fact.
But their is not always smoke
without fire. Can it be that Oby is
being used as weapon by
someone hidden somewhere?
Because sometimes i wonder
why she decides using this time
of allegations and counter-
allegation political climate to
drop the bombshell so as to
weaken or expose the weakness
of the administration.

You people are funny. This woman was part of the same government that you all have been complaining about. She headed the Education Ministry with billions of vote under her, what did she make of them? She turned the higher institutions to world class, I think? But because you people are so easily deceived, just like El Rufai is doing, she attacks the government with figures that she cant show as being correct, but you now tame her the hero because of your bias towards the present day government. In Nigeria, for your sins to be forgotten, speak violently against the government. Debate? So government should begin to debate with anyone who makes allegations? What a precedent.

Okupe said oby claimed $43 billion was left in foreign reserve in 2007 and as at 2013 they had $45 billion. Does that mean they were able to save $2 billion in 6 years or they managed to re save the $45 billion from zero naira.
No mention was made of the $22 billion excess crude account though.

Dont blame Doyin Okupe, hes been paid to always tell lies. Hes a pathological and professional liar and he is doing what he knows best how to do.


Doyin Okupe.......continue with what you are appointed for
L I E .......till 2015, i guess.

Ezekwesili's figure was correct in that there are two sets of accounts here and Okupe is just addressing only foreign reserve.

Foreign Reserve $43B
Excess Crude Acct $22B
Total Balance = $65B instead of $67B

The only discrepancy here is that Mr Okupe should have told Nigerians that the $22B excess crude account left then by OBJ govt has been shared by the three tiers of government (Federal, States and LGAs)

Accountability and transparency are what we are asking for and how these monies translate to people oriented projects.

gbadexy: Okupe said oby claimed $43 billion was left in foreign reserve in 2007 and as at 2013 they had $45 billion. Does that mean they were able to save $2 billion in 6 years or they managed to re save the $45 billion from zero naira.
No mention was made of the $22 billion excess crude account though.

Madam you invited all these heats. Your saintly OBJ is also part of the cancerous rot in the system. Learn to come to equity with clean hands. All you govt mechinaries both former and serving are same side of a coin.......you guys should stop flunting your lootocracy in the faces of the masses save you are inviting a massive uprising from the hapless masses.

shameless set of people. Failed regime.

See pot calling kettle black! All these so called advisers will have no more advice to offer once there is no money left in the tills! Shameless men! Rogues on the rock!

Yea she's a shameless liar. I agree. So when is te debate she challenged you to coming up.

Presidency challenge her on public debate or stop making fool of yourselves.

This Okupe guy.... Is it about the figures or the fact that the monies were shared? Whatever the figures, were they stolen?

Answer that, mr spokesman.!

I told Maku to go and tag NOI instead he chooses to tag another pathetic person who doesnt understand the technical implications of Madam's accusations.

Tell NOI to come out and shame the devil. She did it against Obasanjo.

it was maku, now okupe, the next attack will come from Abati.
This govt is way to desperate to defend itself and it does so without facts.
Well, since OBJ and Soludo are still alive, it will be good if they both come out to clear the air as to who is actually right.
Who knows, maybe Oby used the FOI act to source for her information, that's y she's confident enof to call for a debate.
IMOH let the debate be btw NOI and Oby.

okupe my backside. what does he know apart from stealing our public funds. the woman (Ezekwesili) is not like a hit and run car. she is available 24/7. the truth of it all is that even if u lie against jonathan, u can win the case if u invite him for a public debate.
what nigerians do not know is that jonathan does not answer any question without seeking other men's consent.
if you want jonathan to show up for any public debate, tell him D'Banj will be in charge. kokolets and mamalets.
how will a jonathan face an ezekwesili that is well informed?
one thing about this govt is that it hates truth with passion.

Inciting Nigerians against d Govt.......na Felony be dat ooo Madam Due Wetin??u better calm down.Since dem don catch Farouk(Mr Integrity)I no trust all una again jare

so we should take our nations's idiat(Okupe) seriously?

...rolling eyes and leaving

i can not debate facts. lmao. nice editing

I am not surprise any wey, Okupe is GEJ paid agent or what else do you want to hear?
'IF MUHAMMAD will ask GEJ what have you done with our money, Okupe will ask him why did you molest little children.......... Even when the whole world knows that Muhammad is not a child molester