‘Absurd lie’ | ‘Pettiness’ — Ezekwesili, Paul Ibe clash over Atiku’s tweet on heading economic team

Paul Ibe, media adviser to Atiku Abubakar, standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has tackled Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education, over her comment on social media.

In a tweet on Monday, Abubakar said as the head of the economic management team during his tenure as vice-president, he played a key role in developing strategies to revive the private sector.

Abubakar was vice-president between 1999 and 2007.

“As head of the economic management team, while I was Vice President, I was instrumental in designing a private sector revival strategy and advocated for the opening of the economy for private sector investments in several sectors. And we made tremendous progress,” the tweet reads.

As head of the economic management team while I was Vice President, I was instrumental in designing a private sector revival strategy and advocated for the opening of the economy for private sector investments in several sectors. And we made tremendous progress. #AtikuAtNESG

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) January 16, 2023

Commenting on the tweet, Ezekwesili cautioned Abubakar against “misleading” the public, saying the former vice-president was not the head of the economic management team.

“Dear former Vice President Atiku, please ask the handlers of your Twitter account to stop misleading the public. You were never the Head of the Economic Management Team,” the tweet reads.

“This absurd Lie do you no good at all. Please ask your Team to stop it.  Happy New Year. Wish you well.”

Dear former Vice President Atiku, please ask the handlers of your @Twitter account to stop misleading the public. You were never the Head of the Economic Management Team.

Advertisement

This absurd Lie does you no good at all. Please ask your Team to stop it.
Happy New Year. Wish you well.✍🏾 https://t.co/hr15pjnaBf

— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 17, 2023

But reacting to the comment, Ibe said Abubakar was chairperson of the national economic council and head of the economic management team.

“Dear Oby Ezekwesili, I know it’s political season and people resort to all sorts of antics in support of their preferred candidates. But some things should be considered too low,” he wrote.

“It is established history that Atiku Abubakar as Chairman, National Economic Council, headed the nation’s Economic Management Team between 1999-2007, during which Nigeria had some of her best economic growth.

“In trying – and failing – to weaken his standing in public, let us not resort to this sort of jaded ‘aproko’ pettiness. If Atiku wasn’t head of the Economic Management Team as VP, so who was? You?

“This matter is a constitutional provision and you will do well either to bury your ignorance or advertise your apparent mischief. Enjoy the rest of your day but not in a bliss of ignorance, madam.”

Dear @obyezeks, I know it's political season and people resort to all sorts of antics in support of their preferred candidates. But some things should be considered too low. https://t.co/ZUVgG72Ksh

— Paul Ibe (@omonlakiki) January 17, 2023

Advertisement

WHAT IS ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT TEAM?

The Economic Management Team (EMT) is a group of professionals who oversee a nation’s finances, resources, income, and expenditure as well as provide the president with economic policy advice.

Currently, Nigeria’s EMT is being chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo with ministers of finance, national planning, industry, trade and investment, agriculture, information, and the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), among others, as members.

WHAT IS NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL?

The 1999 constitution stipulates that the vice-president shall chair the national economic council which has state governors and the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as members.

According to the constitution, the council has the power to advise the president about the economic affairs of the federation and measures necessary for the coordination of the economic planning efforts or economic programmes of the various governments of the federation.

DO THEY MEAN THE SAME THING?

From what has been explained above, it can be concluded that the national economic council and economic management team are not the same based on their composition.

Checks by TheCable shows that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the current director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), was the head of the economic management team during the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration when Abubakar was vice-president.

Commenting on the matter, Oluseun Onigbinde, founder and lead director, BudgIT, said while the vice-president chairs the national economic council, he also leads other institutions.

“The VP chairs the National Economic Council, a constitutional role. He/She also leads other institutions. Just putting out the information. It is the captive power at the states where institutions are weak that has made Governors more powerful than they should be,” he wrote.

The VP chairs the National Economic Council, a constitutional role. He/She also leads other institutions. Just putting out the information.

It is the captive power at the states where institutions are weak that has made Governors more powerful than they should be.

— Olúṣeun Onígbindé (@seunonigbinde) January 17, 2023

Also speaking on the development, Tope Fasua, an economist, said Ezekwesili may have made the comment based on her knowledge as a member of the then administration.

“I think what Dr Ezekwesili is exploring is whether President Obasanjo gave full leeway for his Vice, Atiku, to act. I believe that Atiku played his role at least in the first half of their administration before their relationship soured,” he told TheCable.

“He may not have controlled the central bank or ministry of finance, but commanded some respect in economic circles and must have called a few meetings of the committee that he heads constitutionally.

“The second four years was a total shift as their rift deepened and Obasanjo removed most of the duties.”