*Says Nigerians know those working and those ‘chopping’
*Adeosun not indicted — Finance Ministry official

By Soni Daniel

ABUJA — THE Presidency, last night, declined to join issues with the Senate over its threat to quiz the Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and her Budget and National Planning counterpart, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, on the state of the economy.


The Senate President, Dr. Olusola Saraki, who issued the warning, weekend, said the two ministers would be made to give explanations on why the economy was in bad shape.

But the Presidency said it would not dabble into the matter as it was directed to the affected ministers in question.

However, a top Presidency official, who preferred anonymity, said while the Presidency would not dabble into the threat by the Senate to question the ministers, it was confident that Nigerians knew “those who are working and those who are ‘chopping.’”

The official said: “We are not going to engage the Senate on this matter with the ministers involved in the management of the economy because we have a binding pact with the Nigerian people to end corruption and make life better for them.

“The truth of the matter is that President Muhammadu Buhari deeply feels the pains that Nigerians are passing through as a result of the pains inflicted on them through unmitigated corruption and wastefulness of the past and he is working assiduously with his cabinet to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

“This is not the time for unnecessary rhetoric to please the audience but a time to do serious work to change the landscape and put food on the table for Nigerians.”

Adeosun not indicted

— Finance Ministry official

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, could not be reached for comments. Calls to her telephone line did not go through.

However, an official in the Federal Ministry of Finance said there was nothing to react to since the minister had not been indicted for anything.

Indeed, Saraki had said that managers of the nation’s economy would be held accountable for the current recession facing the country.

In an interview with newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara State, he said: “We are going to have an exhaustive and comprehensive debate on fixing the country’s economy when we resume next week.

“Already, all the economic priority bills are being analysed and collated so that we can hit the ground running when we resume. We understand the pains that Nigerians are going through and we do not take this for granted.”

“Additionally, the Senate intends to invite everybody involved in the management of the economy to address the Nigerian people through the parliament on the steps that are being taken to get us out of this mess.

“We fully intend to hold all those involved in the economic management of the country accountable. However, we will do so in a manner that is transparent and beneficial to the country as a whole.”