Political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, has waded into the war of words between the Federal Government and a former World Bank Vice President (Africa), Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili asking the FG to immediately apologise to her.
Utomi said the FG must, as a matter of obligation, explain to Nigerians the accountability questions raised by Ezekwesili regarding the Excess Crude Account and $67bn (about N10.6trn) in foreign reserves.
Information Nigeria recalls that Ezekwesili had in a speech delivered at the 42nd convocation of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, demanded accountability by the Federal Government on the issues of poor management of oil revenue, especially as it affects the Excess Crude Account and the Foreign Reserve Account inherited from the Obasanjo administration of which she was a kitchen cabinet member.
Utomi said rather than cash in on her request to enlighten Nigerians on the issue in question, the FG, on Sunday, described the allegation of mismanagement as “factually incorrect, outlandish and clearly fictitious.”
Utomi while lampooning the FG for attacking Ezekwesili rather than the critical posers she raised, said she had only performed her duty as a proper citizen of Nigeria, adding that she deserved a better answer from the FG.
He said the government owed it as an obligation to her and all Nigerians to explain how it spent the oil revenue.
“What she did was right. She deserves to know; that is why we have the Freedom of Information Act. Governments all over the world would take advantage of such challenges to explain things to their citizens.
“I wrote on my tweeter page that from its response so far on this issue, the FG is playing Abacha in mufti. The FG must apologise to Ezekwesili and explain to Nigerians what happened to the money,” he said.
