SAN FRANCISCO, April 25, (THEWILL) – Former governor of Cross River state, Donald Duke has berated former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, over the inclusion of a private conversation between both of them in the latter’s new book.
THEWILL recalls that Okonjo-Iweala recently published a new book, titled, ‘Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines’, detailing her experience as a minister of finance.
In the book, she revealed that Duke had urged her not to serve in President Goodluck Jonathan’s government in 2011 to deny Jonathan’s government credibility so that it would be “weak and not succeed”.
However she rejected his counsel and served in the government as Finance minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy.
Irked by the revelation, the former governor, who is reportedly gunning for the vice presidency under the third force movement led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, described Okonjo-Iweala’s action as being in “poor taste.”
“It’s true I met with Ngozi when the rumors were swirling about her being considered for appointment,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.
“As ‘friends’, she having been literally dismissed from an earlier appointment as finance minister, I urged caution.
“I made no mention of adding or subtracting credibility to anyone or govt.
“It was ‘two friends’ discussing careers. It ended there and she subsequently made her choice which I respected.
“However, I think it is in poor taste and demeaning of her to report a private conversation in whatever self laundering attempt she may be up to.
“With hindsight, I was vindicated, Ngozi, as Minister of Finance and Economy, despite massive revenue receipts, left Nigeria poorer than she met it.”
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