Oshiomhole After Me Because I Blocked His Dubious N15bn Loan – Okonjo- Iweala

A former minister of finance, Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, has urged the federal
government to call the Edo State
Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, to
order, saying Mr. Oshiomhole is
seeking how to link her to the $2.1
billion arms probe.
Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said she had
“absolutely nothing” to do with the
arms issue.
The Nigerian government has made
high profile arrests in connection
with an ongoing investigation into
the alleged $2.1 billion arms
contract.
Former National Security Adviser,
Sambo Dasuki, was arrested Tuesday.
Mr. Oshiomhole was quoted
Wednesday by Leadership
newspaper as saying the immediate
past finance minister, and former
President Goodluck Jonathan, should
also be prosecuted as they gave
approval for funds to be released.
“The issue is whether the Nigerian
president under the constitution has
the power to approve funds
belonging to local, state and federal
government- funds that have not
been appropriated by the National
Assembly,” Mr. Oshiomhole was
quoted by the paper as saying.
“That is a criminal offense for which
Okonjo-Iweala ought to face criminal
prosecution. These things are just
discussed and wished away. For me,
I will stick for the truth and don’t
care what people will say,” he said.
In an emailed statement signed by
her spokesperson, Paul Nwabuiku,
Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said that it is an
abuse of public office, the judicial
process and her human rights for
Governor Oshiomhole “whom she
stopped from taking a highly
suspicious N15 billion loan to make
false allegations against her while
hiding behind the constitutional
immunity granted state governors”.
“As recently confirmed by the Debt
Management Office, professional
analysis showed that Oshiomhole’s
loan request which was based on
using low interest World Bank loan
to offset high interest commercial
loans would have left Edo state with
a heavy debt burden and the state
would have found it very difficult to
pay back,” the former minister said.
The former minister said it was
unconscionable for the governor to
embark on a “campaign of lies
against her because she thwarted his
dubious loan request”.
She described the governor’s
unsubstantiated allegations as a
“cynical personalization of the anti-
corruption campaign to achieve
ignoble objectives”.
“Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala therefore put
Mr. Oshiomhole and his ilk on notice
that she has briefed her lawyers and
that she is ready to explore all legal
means, local and international, to
defend her name against corrupt
and compromised persons,” her
spokesperson said.
“It has become a pattern of
behaviour that each time Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala is internationally
recognized, Governor Oshiomhole
and his cohorts embark on a cynical
and devious ploy of trying to pull
her down locally.
“Just last night, December 1, Okonjo-
Iweala was honoured at a high
profile event attended by Vice
President Joe Biden and former
President Bill Clinton. Okonjo Iweala
was honoured alongside Michael
Bloomberg, Bill and Melinda Gates
and Mo Ibrahim for their
contributions to global development
and humanity.
“Gov. Oshiomhole and his cohorts
should realize that their ill-motivated
attempts to taint Dr Okonjo Iweala’s
reputation will never succeed!” the
statement said.