A former Minister of Education and 2019 presidential aspirant, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, has reacted to the constitution of an Economic Team by President Muhammadu Buhari, Igbere TV reports.

Igbere TV had reported that President Buhari, on Monday, announced the constitution of an eight-man Economic Advisory Council (EAC), with Adedoyin Rasaq Salami as Chairman.

A statement obtained by Igbere TV issued by Buhari’s Spokesman, Femi Adesina, said the Council will replace the current Economic Management Team (EMT) led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and will be reporting directly to the President.

Reacting to the development, the former Minister expressed optimism that the Council would tell the President “how he mismanaged the economy in the last four years”.

Ezekwesili, who acknowledged that the new Council has strong membership, however, said the development was not new in the American system which Nigeria “copied”.

She described the just disbanded Economic Management Team (EMT) led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as ‘figure head’, alleging that the VP was not directly in charge.

Read below, a transcript of the full tweets by the former Minister as brought to you by Igbere TV...

“The setting up a Council of Economic Advisors is in itself one of the features of the American Presidential system which we copied.
Strong membership & that’s really great.

“I hope the first thing they do is tell the President how he mismanaged the Economy in the last 4 years.

“For those who will jump on this timeline to say, “it was not the President that was in charge of the Economy. It was the VP chairing the Economic Team” please don’t bother. The President was managing the conomy. All those BAD Monetary Policy decisions were made by him.

“Two, the President was managing the Economy. All those strange Fiscal Policy decisions were made by him.

“Both the CBN Governor and the Ministers of Finance were not acting based on any Economic Management Team decisions. For WIA. Now at least the pretense is over about Economy.

“The EMT was in reality chaired by the VP who had no power over Core Economic Policy decisions. The other side of the Presidency did not mind having him be the cannon fodder for all the extremely Bad Economic Policy decisions.

“A President, not VP runs the Economy. I know that.

“The remit of the Council of Economic Advisers seems to suggest it rightly as “External Visitors” who meet monthly and then meet the President Quarterly. If so, setting it up as a full replacement of the EMT which should remain as the Technical Team that it should be is a mistake.

“The proper structure of that their EMT should have had is two levels of hierarchical control:
An EMT Meeting chaired by the President with his VP as Vice Chair.
An EMT Technical Meeting chaired by the Minister of Finance with CORE Technical Members.

“Structure is Everything.

“When people say the VP during our time in government “was in charge of the Economy” , I always correct them.
The VP was simply Chair of the National Council on Privatization and also the National Econonic Council (a meeting of Federal Government & States(Governors). Not EMT.

“A combination of a Two-Layered Structure of the EMT plus Council of Economic Advisers of the calibre of minds just appointed would be brilliant.
It would bring 3 things together:
1. Topmost Political power.
2. Coordinated Internal Technical Skills.
3. Input of External Skills.

“The Economy which is currently stuck in a steady state of Low-Equilibrium Growth needs a 24/7 level of engagement of:
1. Topmost Political power (that’s ready to discard outdated and pseudo-socialist ideas)
2. Coordinated Internal Competent Skills.
3. Brilliant external Skills.

“Hopefully, our couple of outstanding eggheads that are named to the Council of Economic Advisers will ignore all those genuflecting sycophancy that surrounds @MBuhari and tell him the kind of Truth that annoys them but which must be heard for our Economy to Grow and Prosper.”

http://igberetvnews.com/980219/the-new-economic-team-should-tell-buhari-how-he-mismanaged-the-economy-ex-minister/

Lalasticlala, Mynd44, OAM4J

Lalasticlala

Seun

One thing I hate about Africans is when something is done instead of appreciating and praying it should succeed they rather start politicising it or criticize it bass on hate and political differences. Ma, you one time serve as a minister of education but all you went to do was to romance with Obasanjo. Sometimes people like you don't have any justification to criticize any government on earth

Of course fish often start to rot from the head but the failure will never accept responsibility because he is never tired of passing the buck.
Madam Oby Abeg stop whining because you're part of the educated illiterates that helped to enthroned this catastrophic failure.

I am tempted to move a motion that Dr. Oby Ezekwesili should join that advisory council.

But the problem is her confrontational posture in asserting herself and pressing home her points whenever she disagrees with you, which is not good for team work.

Ahhhhhhhh

Wise people don't comment on everything.

I thought these people was once in power? What was their impacts when they were blessed with the large income from our only dependant resources?
You people should just get accustom to opposition politics with constructive criticisms rather than condemning all actions taken by the Buhari administration.

Buhari should just appoint this woman so we can see the magic she will perfor...

Meanwhile, I'm available for your online documents and Print-out Slips. Check my signature

Shut up
Opportunistic self serving hypocrite like you.
Was it not you that after allbthe killings and lootings in South Africa, you still went to the program.

But then the budgit guy that had been givin constructive criticism of the govt was called on to contribute his knowledge towards bettering our economy and you were there applauding him for not answering the call.

I was among those that were behind you for president, but you abandoned all of us the moment someone bought you over...

Continue doing anyhow and you will loose all the goodwill that the "bring back our girls"charade brought you

She's actually saying the truth but her words hold know base anymore after the South Africa saga

You were in government madam and Nigerian economy was never an el dorado

She get brain tho'




Valid points

Wow.
This woman should be made one of the excos of the EMT jhoor!

She commands Value !

Madam, please rest. After SA debacle you shouldn’t be calling on anyone to be accountable.

This one is still pained cox she has constantly been overlooked

Yen yen yen. Spectator. People like her complain about Ronaldo and Messi but can't play nothing, only buying customized jersey.

festacman:
I am tempted to move a motion that Dr. Oby Ezekwesili should join that advisory council.

But the problem is her confrontational posture to assert herself and press home her points whenever she disagrees with you, which is not good for team work.

bro i must admit that you are very intelligent... RESPECT

Oby has lose her relevance. I pray she gain it back in her next life/generation. As for this generation.... No! No!! No!!!. She criticize even the smallest good deed.

Though I'm no fan of Buhari, but the composition of this Economic Advisory Council is one master stroke I applaud him for.

Oby is just a pained and bitter critic.

Madam pls note that the team wasn't made to criticize but to find solution to the ailing economy

mosegifted:

bro i must admit that you are very intelligent... RESPECT

Thanks bro. But you don't sound any less.

How He Mismanaged The Economy!

Useless hypocrite

Racoon:
Of course fish often start to rot from the head but the failure will never accept responsibility because he is never tired of passing the buck.
Madam Oby Abeg stop whining because you're part of the educated illiterates that helped to enthroned this catastrophic failure.

Educated illiterates, you say?

Aunty please go and sit down several spaces behind.

Must you talk?

Where's that cho cho cho meme?

Racoon:
Of course fish often start to rot from the head but the failure will never accept responsibility because he is never tired of passing the buck.
Madam Oby Abeg stop whining because you're part of the educated illiterates that helped to enthroned this catastrophic failure.

Jonathan, certified failure. Buhari, failure in progress. Next.

Neoteny:


Educated illiterates, you say?

He meant to type enthrone.

No be everything wey person see online e dey correct. Haba?

festacman:
I am tempted to move a motion that Dr. Oby Ezekwesili should join that advisory council.

But the problem is her confrontational posture in asserting herself and pressing home her points whenever she disagrees with you, which is not good for team work.

I don't agree at all. Soludo is okay for me there.

Oby had a chance with Obasanjo, she blew it.

Next, please.

Madam so if you were made a member of that committee this is how you will be quarreling with everybody....na wa o!