A former Finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, has called out the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila for trying to distort the truth in her book: “Fighting Corruption is Dangerous.”

Okonjo Iweala said the Majority Leader tried to change her statement in the book concerning the N17 billion in the 2014 budget for his personal interest.

Okonjo-Iweala said the claim by the lawmaker that she and her aides added their own projects to the budget was false and a move to thwart the truth.

The former Minister said in the book that “By the time we presented budget on December 16, 2014, the oil prices has further fallen down to $58 per barrel. We were prepared and knew we had to trigger the additional expenditure and revenue measure in 2015 to make the budget work.

“This would be tough, given that we had entered election year. Indeed, legislators initially refused to accept pay cuts to their regular N150 billion budget, despite dwindling revenues.

“But, eventually agreed to 13 percent cut against backdrop of Ministers accepting voluntary 50 percent to their basic salaries.

“In a tough session with the National Assembly ad-hoc committee on budget (made up chairs of Finance committee and Appropriation Committee of both chambers and other leaders of National Assembly), an additional N20 billion was reintroduced as election expenses for the National Assembly members.

“We insisted that the amount should be dropped because it nullified the 13 percent cut to their statutory budget, but managed N20 billion figure by only N3 billion to N17.

“This become the price to have 2015 budget passed.”

But Gbajabiamiala had, however, claimed that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala revealed in her book that she and her aides had “padded” the 2014 budget and had infused their own projects.

The lawmaker also claimed that lawmakers had fought with the ex-Minister over the alleged “padding.”

However, Okonjo-Iweala, in her response on Facebook on Sunday, faulted the Majority Leader’s claim, saying there was nothing of such.

She wrote, “It has come to my attention that mischief makers are again trying to distort what is written in my book, ‘Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: the Story Behind the Headlines’, for their own political purposes.

“One more time, It is important that people read the book for themselves. In the case of the N17 billion, the book does not talk of bribe. It indicates that lawmakers increased the budget by N17 billion and we had to accept that to move on; hence, the term ‘price to pay’.

“The reason for discussing what happened is that this approach needs to change. The country must clear up and clarify its budget process for the future to improve.

“Those like Hon Gbajabiamiala trying to introduce lies that myself and my aides put in our own projects and lawmakers were fighting with me on that basis are playing their usual cynical games and Nigerians are tired of that!

“Lies obscure the country’s problems and do not allow us to improve. There were and there still are politicians in the National Assembly trying to do the right thing. The book also points that out.

“Such well meaning legislators should not allow their strident colleagues to twist matters and divert attention from the need to improve the country’s budget process so our young people can see a better side of their country.”

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/okonjo-iweala-speaks-on-padding-2014.html

The evil she did while in office will continue to haunt her.

Guilty conscience is bothering her.

Why is madam coaching corruption-free government from side line? Did she just realize there was corruption in her administration?

She should come to her homeland and give speeches and lectures on the topic.

Madam you ought to have raised this in the court of the masses during the act.
You are as guilty as the legislooters.
Gbaja and his colleagues are in that house to make money, flaunt the money, oppress with the money, buy keke and okada for his constituency thugs in the name of empowerment so that they can fight for him to get re elected again and that is the definition of a typical Nigerian politician cycle.

BabaRamota1980:
Why is madam coaching corruption-free government from side line? Did she just realize there was corruption in her administration?

She should come to her homeland and give speeches and lectures on the topic.

With this your approach you will never learn.

Good Woman.
God bless my PRESIDENT.

Firefire

This is Nigeria - in Faz Voice


Warning! Don't Click This!!!! Unless You are Staying Outside Nigeria...!!

It has begun

Buhari God bless u,

Thanks for the clarification. Don't mind the clueless ones in government today

Some people aren't even ready to read her rebuttal before commenting.

[quote author=Firefire post=67951987][/quote]
Glad you made it here in time.

ElsonMorali:
The evil she did while in office will continue to haunt her.

Guilty conscience is bothering her.

Which evil? Ignorance is such a dangerous thing. Do you know that the whole world was in recession when this woman held sway as head of Nigerian finance. We did not even know there was recession. Do know how highly sought after this woman is by renowned world global bodies? Please it is better to keep quiet than say what you don't know.

Seetto:
Buhari God bless u,

Amen.
Amen.
Amen.

They are all thieves! It's time to take Nigeria back from the vampires that want to suck it dry.

post=67952064:

Glad you made it here in time.

Yes

Madam don't confuse yourself...usage of "price to pay" in our context we all know what it means

This woman is just provoking and heating up the polity. She should go to her village and rest.

ElsonMorali:
The evil she did while in office will continue to haunt her.

Guilty conscience is bothering her.

This same pretending Gbajabiamila that bought brand new G-wagon for his wife for just ordinary birthday celebration? Meanwhile he buys Aba-made kekes for his constituency. Useless thief raised by the chief thief Tinubu. Madam please carry on exposing them.

ElsonMorali:
The evil she did while in office will continue to haunt her.

Guilty conscience is bothering her.

Somebody is occupying important positions, writing books, giving speeches and interviews, meeting important personnel, and you're talking about haunt. Does she look like someone haunted to?

ole and thief

.

The same Gbajabiamila who kolobi'd his client's $25,000 in the US?

He was suspended for two years from practicing in the State of Georgia.

http://saharareporters.com/2007/09/16/lagos-rep-house-representative-fraud-scandal

.

mykelly:
Madam don't confuse yourself...usage of "price to pay" in our context we all know what it means

See what she's talking about here. It's still happening till today, probably on a bigger scale

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/268674-breaking-senate-passes-2018-budget-raises-spending-to-n9-1-trillion.html

Ngozi... awa tiff in time lol


Ole aji bole

We know their types,what has he been doing in the lower house for years now? A won omo Ole ..

CRIMINAL WOMAN ..................


HAS SHE NOT DONE ENOUGH TO DESTROY OUR ECONOMY... ??


PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED HARVARD WILL NOT BE IN ANY GOVERNMENT THAT OPENLY STEALS MONEY OR ALLOW CORRUPTION TO BE PRACTISED AROUND THEM.

THEY WILL QUIT TO PROTECT THEIR REPUTATION.


WHAT STOPPED HER FROM HANDING IN HER LETTER OF RESIGNATION TO THE PRESIDENT


FINANCIAL GREED AND POWER BLINDED THIS WOMAN TO THE POINT SHE FORGOT SHE WAS A HARVARD GRADUATE & FELLOW ...


The TRUTH IS DESPITE HAVING A HARVARD BACKGROUND, SHE IS VERY CORRUPT, HENCE SHE WAS AT HOME WITH CORRUPTION ALL AROUND HER.


THIS WOMAN SHOULD SHUT UP AND HIDE HER HEAD IN SHAME !

Gerrout!

They better be dead in 2019 or be in jail 2020 any senator from 2000 will pay those money back According to Sowore.