04 Aug 2006 |
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Ngozi Iweala resigned for safety Further details emerged today, why Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala resigned her federal ministerial appointment upon return from London where she was attending debt relief negotiation with the London Club. According to a family source, Ngozi traveled from Lagos to Delta State by road shortly before her trip to London, accompanied by a retinue of aides. She flew from Delta State to London via Lagos and commenced negotiations while she was in London on behalf of the Federal government, negotiating $4 billion loan forgiveness with the London Club of creditors which would have Nigeria part with another $2 billion. Her removal as the headship of Obasanjo’s “Economic Management Team” was brought to her attention by her friend on Tony’s Blair commission for Africa, though she was very upset about her unceremonious removal, she took it calmly promising to give president Obasanjo “a piece of my mind” as soon as she returns back to Abuja. However, she received a shock of her life when her Abuja –based family informed her of a tragedy concerning her driver and protocol officers who had traveled with her to Delta State. Saharareporters was informed that they were involved in a ghastly auto accident in her official SUV car on their way to Abuja leading to the total ruin of her official car. The driver and protocol officers were critically injured and hospitalized at an undisclosed hospital. The foreign Affairs minister was thus advised not to return to Abuja for her personal safety. It became more worrisome for her when she could not reach President Obasanjo on his hotline. She returned to Abuja and tendered a long resignation letter to the Secretary to the Federal Government citing pressing family issues as her reason for resigning and rushed out of her office, almost practically trying to flee Nigeria. Sources said she returned back to her Abuja home when she couldn’t find a flight to the US from Abuja as all flights were fully booked and also because she felt her resignation was well received by the president. She also decided to return because of a housing transaction said to be facilitated by the president. According to the another source, the president had compromised the “Economic Management Team” by giving them houses in Abuja and Lagos for the purposes of getting their support and loyalty towards his third term bid, Ngozi Iweala thus got a house worth N85 million. It is not clear what she intends to do with the properties and others belonging to her family members since she was being prevailed upon to leave Abuja for Maryland USA earlier today.Okonja Iweala resigns from Obasanjo government By Omoyele Sowore Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Okonjo Iweala has resigned from the Obasanjo government. Her resignation resulted from what insiders referred to as “deep personal clashes” that culminated in her removal as the head of the Economic Team while she was attending a conference in London. Saharareporters had exclusively reported that Mrs. Ngozi Oknjo-Iweala was demoted from the finance ministry when she was suddenly moved to the foreign affairs ministry a few weeks ago. No further information is available per the immediate reasons for her resignation today; sources disclosed that she sent her resignation letter to the president. The president, who had fallen out with her, had expected her resignation since her abrupt move to the foreign ministry. More to come!
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