Former Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has stated that the N17 billion she said was paid to the seventh National Assembly was not a bribe.
In a post on Facebook, the former World Bank boss said mischief makers were misinterpreting her book for their own political purposes.
“It has come to my attention that mischief makers are again trying to distort what is written in my book, ‘Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: the Story Behind the Headlines’, for their own political purposes,” she wrote.
“One more time, It is important that people read the book for themselves. In the case of the N17billion, the book does not talk of bribe.
“It indicates that lawmakers increased the budget by N17billion and we had to accept that to move on; hence, the term “price to pay”.
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She then responded to claims by Lagos lawmaker, Femi Gbajabiamila that Okonjo-Iweala and her aides padded the budget.
“The reason for discussing what happened is that this approach needs to change. The country must clear up and clarify its budget process for the future to improve.
“Those like Hon Gbajabiamiala trying to introduce lies that myself and my aides put in our own projects and lawmakers were fighting with me on that basis are playing their usual cynical games and Nigerians are tired of that!
She urged the National Assembly to be more sincere in its action if truly they want Nigeria to progress. “Lies obscure the country’s problems and do not allow us to improve,” she said.
“There were and there still are politicians in the National Assembly trying to do the right thing. The book also points that out.
“Such well-meaning legislators should not allow their strident colleagues to twist matters and divert attention from the need to improve the country’s budget process so our young people can see a better side of their country.”
