Former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has reacted to media reports that she said ex-President Goodluck Jonathan lacked the political will to save for raining days for Nigeria, which has now plunged the country into its present economic woes.
Okonjo-Iweala spoke through her media aide, Paul Nwabuikwu, in a statement issued on Friday.
The former Minister stressed she did not indict the Jonathan administration in which she served.
Rather, she was referring to what many Nigerians already know: the strong opposition by some governors to the Jonathan government’s efforts to save in the Excess Crude Account and the Sovereign Wealth Fund sabotaged this important national priority.
Nwabuikwu said the governors’ criticism of Dr Okonjo-Iweala’s many calls for the country to save for the rainy day are still fresh in the minds of Nigerians.
He said several knowledgeable persons including former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, have confirmed these facts.
So, according to him, the issue of Okonjo-Iweala indicting the Jonathan administration over this very public issue simply does not arise.
He urged the media to always consult for clarification whenever the need arises.
It will be recalled that governors took the Jonathan government to the Supreme Court in furtherance of their position that the Federal Government had no right to compel them to save.
