WATCH: Minister Of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and House of Rep Member in Shouting Match
A war of words broke out on Thursday evening between the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Abdul-Mumini Jibrin, during a meeting scheduled to discuss the state of the economy from January to date.
The chairman of committee had ruled that the minister, who had said she was feeling a little sick, would be excused and should return at another date to meet with the committee.
The confrontation however ensued when the minister insisted that she was ready to speak to the committee and the committee insisted that they stand by their ruling that the minister return on another date.
The Chairman of the Committee, Abdul-Mumini Jibrin, had earlier said that the purpose of the invitation was
to “critically look at issues pertaining the economy.”
According to him, with lots of issues, allegations and counter-allegations, going on, “we want to open up all issues. We have sent her a letter that the committee doesn’t want any vague presentation”.
He stressed that: “I am actually interested in engaging with the minister who in private accepts something but shies away in public”.
“We will also engage the minister of finance on the allegations made by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor on ‘missing’ crude oil revenue, ‘missing’ Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), external borrowings, ‘missing’ SURE-P funds and others,” Jibrin intimated.
