Okonjo-Iweala says she's not running for president

Okonjo-Iweala says she’s not running for president

January 28, 2017Cletus Ukpong

Former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala [Photo credit: Instagram]

Former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, says she is not interested in contesting running for president in 2019.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala took to Facebook, Thursday, to post a disclaimer against a campaign on the social media site urging her to run for president in 2019, with the president of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, as her running mate.

The campaign has a Facebook page “Okonjo-Iweala/Adesina 2019 Rescue” dedicated to it, with more than 25,000 people liking the page so far.

“I have nothing to do with this,” Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said of the campaign, in her Facebook post. “I urge those behind it to stop, as I am focused on other things.

“While I thank those who want to have my name constantly in the headlines for one important position or the other in the country, rest assured I am fully occupied with my international assignments and loving it,” she said.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, 62, served twice as Nigeria’s finance minister under former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, and was credited with introducing reforms in the country’s financial sector especially during Mr. Obasanjo’s administration.

She holds a PhD in regional economics and development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, in United States, and has been listed among the Forbes Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.

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Orphic

I’m one of her biggest critics but I’ll support her. It takes a truly incompetent government to make NOI appear like an economic genius. She is clearly corruption free and was correct in ensuring that any disbursement of funds on her part was accompanied by written evidence of a presidential order.
Those who criticise – myself included, must bear in mind the standards of most Nigerian ministers and recognise that she is a cut above. She would be an inspired choice as the first woman, the first Igbo executive president and the first economist i.e. the first Nigerian leader who knows what and how an economy should operate.
- Karl Imom
  
  Unfortunately, she is not FIT to hold the office of the President in Nigeria. She is an ex-con – convicted of being a fraudster; operating foreign bank accounts while holding government office as Minister of Finance; fraudulently receiving her monthly pay-checks in Dollar currency while in government office as Minister of Finance; Fraudulently manipulated government to placed her on $250,000/year as Minister of Finance in Nigeria. This record is clearly documented by an Abuja High Court in a case filed against her by the late but still the most famous Gani Fawehinmi of Nigeria. Grandstanding while disclaiming rumors of presidential ambition will not extricate her from those online rumors; she is behind everything she disclaims. Under the constitution she cannot hold public office is Nigeria.
  - Idowu
    
    God bless you for that comment. Let that woman become President and Nigeria will be truly finished.. Will be sold lock stock and barrel.
    - Kallah Bature
      
      I know for sure lots of questions will surface for which she may not have answers,should she dare run for the now coveted office of the President of Nigeria left for only those who are untainted.
  - VERITAS_ the rock of ages_
    
    Good comment on constitution.
- Tonnero
  
  How did you conclude she knows how an economy should operate? Is it because she turned yours to an “African Tiger” economy after 8 years of being minister? Or is it because she was covering her ass while signing off hundreds of millions of dollars to Dasuki?
- Quest
  
  do get yourself examine.
- Julius
  
  You are joking, right ? An educated leader that saw frauds being committed daily under her watch but did nothing about it is better than the rest ? You still joking, right ?
Otile

Now over to sorcerers, juju men, marabouts, voodoo economists and all. Soon the blog will be infested with vultures, soothsayers, and bad men using indecent language, abuses, insults, curse words, and incantations. It is a matter of time comments will be voluminous. Folks, the door is open.
- Gary
  
  Nah, the propagandists now have bigger fish to fry than going after Ngozi amid their credibility crisis.
  Their demigod has turned out to be a spectacular failure. And now he’s sick and shockingly for his cult-followers, the people are showing him very little sympathy.
- Julius
  
  Hahahahahaha, you’ve started the show..abeg don’t forget to be correcting their grammar too . Smdh at you trying to set yourself apart from the vultures. Aint that something ? lolz
Dawood

Premium Times should be ashamed. “Credited with introducing reforms in Nigerian financial sector…” Yeah, and you know what that reform was? Opening the vaults and allowing Jonathan and his 40 thieves to plunder our treasuries. Oh, yes. Don’t forget the reform that allowed her soul sister, Deziani Madueke, and the other thieves in the Jonathan administration to make the British and American banks richer while she left Nigerians destitute. Fact is she’s already running- running as fast as she can from Magu. Let her bring her fat ass back here and see what happens.
- Gary
  
  Mugs, I’m sure you’ll claim your Daura genius introduced TSA, BVN and the verification processes that his polytechnic graduate finance minister is noe following up in detecting ghost workers. Before NOI how many of you could fathom out the federal budget and monthly allocations to your states?
  You expected her to make political decisions as an appointee of the elected President? How many of Buhari’s current appointees have countermanded his wishes? Including the boy-boy CBN Governor Emefiele who is colluding with Buhari’s inner circle to corruptly play games with multiple Forex rates and allocations?
  How many of them have disagreed or stepped down over policy differences with the high school out who’s now their boss?
  I thought you guys were observing a wake for Oga in London but I was wondering wrong. The mere mention that anyone with grey matter between their ears can replace the dunce ruining Nigeria had get you marching orders to go on the attack. The woman has told you she’s not interested; just like anyone with a name to protect will keep a long distance from the bunch of morons currently mismanaging the country. Enjoy your misery under Buhari. And may he get well soon and even have multiple terms to add to your misery for many years to come. I dare you to say Amen to that.
- Quest
  
  don’t forget her triple chin(s).
JasV

If you like “jump” not just “run” for it, you’ll never get it. Not after the extreme height of incompetence demonstrated as a two-time minister of finance.
- CeeCee1818
  
  Was she the one incompetent or the people around her like Jonathan himself? I really want to know.
  - Tonnero
    
    She was also incompetent. She should have directed the economy away from extreme dependence on oil and one where everything is imported with forex from oil. Trump is complaining but I am almost sure that our trade balance with most countries is negative if we discount oil. That should not be acceptable. A country with some of the most arable land in the world is a net importer of food. A country that is in OPEC is a net importer of fuel. How crazy is that?
    - CeeCee1818
      
      It is crazy. Africa as a whole has plenty of arable land yet we expect the world to feed us. Incompetent leaders are to blame. Some may blame elements, drought for example, but look at Arab countries who are able to draw and desalinate sea water and agriculture goes on.
  - Quest
    
    Educated monkey she is, the bus stop with the head of the department, she’s responsible for the woefully failure brought on the South.
    - Netanyahu
      
      I would have dignified you with a response but going through your posts and the horribly cobbled grammar and somersault with simple tenses, I have elected to let you wallow in abject ignorance and poverty of basic knowledge. Get lost.
      - Quest
        
        ghh
      - SAM .A
        
        “… metastasis.” Grammatical nonsense , What has metastasis got to do with issue above , irrelevant in thinking and writing. Are u talking of cancer ? How is this word relevant here . Mr Grammar .
      - Quest
        
        Over grown weed what do you think you are?
      - Julius
        
        Damn , wtf !!
      - Quest
        
        “virtuosity is for the arrogant”
      - Julius
        
        Lamaoooo, you notice he jumped on grammar. That’s Ibo man for you. They think they invented English grammar as their father’s language. Go to any motor park and listen to an Ibo touts throwing grammar that they can’t even spell. You go laff tire.
      - bulus
        
        Bro we’re taking issues, you’re talking grammar… Is English your mother tongue..is it your language, is it not your folks who paid for you to learn it?? We all understand the man, you we don’t understand
      - Julius
        
        That’s how the biafraudians roll….na grammar !!. A gateman correcting him oga grammar, yes sir..na dem !
      - Julius
        
        Yes, throw grammar, abeg ! lmaoooo. What a joke that you are !
  - Sir Louis
    
    Her so called education like that of her brother, Goodluck Jonathan, is questionable.
  - Julius
    
    A competent person will be surrounded by competent people in all profession, period. So, don’t separate her from the decisions she made in her capacity as the finance minister and the other positions.
West

Hehehehe! Nigeria is indeed a country of anything goes. This is a woman who ordinarily should be spending the rest of her miserable life in a maximum security prison in one remote island. Wonders shall never finish
- Tonnero
  
  Na Igbo people now. They have their heads screwed on improperly. A lady that ran the economy for 8 OIL BOOM years and look where we are: we import everything under the sun including food and fuel, have no source of forex earnings except crude oil. Even the money she worked with OBJ to save she squandered during her second coming and was signing money out to Dasuki like pure water. This is the same woman whose opinion on the missing $20b is still not known until today. But to the Igbo, she is a hero just like Jonathan. Clowns.
  - NwaIgbo
    
    Watch it man, I am Ibo but not a clown as you foolishly painted all Ibos together. I never supported NOI and OBJ for Nigerian’s parlous economy is sick today partly because of them.
    - Quest
      
      One bad apply rubbish up the entire basket. The nation as a whole need more people like you from all region.
    - Arogbo
      
      Thank you Nwakebu
    - ayo
      
      Well said my broda without getting caught in stereotype and bigotry…..
    - Sir Louis
      
      Agreed.
    - Julius
      
      Thank you !. You are correct.
  - Sir Louis
    
    My friend, I am Igbo. Igbos did not send Jonathan, who by the way is not Igbo, and Ngozi Okonjo, on errand. OBJ should account for Jonathan’s coming to power, and not Igbos.Best Wishes.
    - Julius
      
      Obj also brought her to limelight in Nigeria. So, don’t exclude her name
      - Sir Louis
        
        You are right there. Pardon the omission.
      - Julius
        
        Respect sir !. By the way, the madness is not limited to the Ibos. Its all over the country.
  - ijelejames
    
    which Igbo people are you talking about? Check your facts before you spew such garbage. No Igbo brought Ngozi or Jonathan into power. Direct the garbage to obasanjo your uncle. Jonathan is ijaw and not Igbo. If he told Ngozi to sign over money to dasuki as pure water, what has it got to do with Igbo. Stop hating, it does not solve problems. Jonathan is ijaw, dasuki is hausa, Ngozi is delta married to Igbo, how is igbo connected to what Jonathan did as president. Be civil.
Quest

Please run, please run and in the process also run for beauty queen.
- Sir Louis
  
  Lol.
otunga

This woman supervised the greatest rip-off in world history then she got 25k likes for president, then she says..no no I’m not running for president…most of us know which region those likes came from, a region with the least cerebral capital ever..a region we wish were left unto themselves
Höly Wähala

“Forbes Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.” – Premium Times
@Premium Times,
It is, ‘Forbes Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful People in the Word’ not women, she is one of two women on that list so, make una take una time dia if you want to report about my Aunty… by the way, she did not distance herself from running for President of Nigeria in 2019 or in the future, she only stated that she is currently quite preoccupied with her international engagement, you never know… She might as well be the Final Leader and solution to all of Nigeria’s leadership problems over the years. Again… make una take’m easy with jumping to frivolous conclusions. Shao, for now, we’re not interested… LoL!
- Julius
  
  Who is we ? lolz
JJ

It’s a shame that she didn’t get it. During the electioneering, Nigerians said they will prefer a pig to Jonathan. And funny enough, this pig thought they will truly prefer her to Jonathan the dumbo. What a pig!
- Julius
  
  No, you dont have to call her such a despicable name. Disagree with her as vigorously as you may but, disrespecting her in such a way is unacceptable.
Sir Louis

If indeed there is any Nigerian remotely canvassing for any future political office for this lieing woman and Jonathan’s sister, that person is the most idle person in Nigeria. Second, such person or persons perhaps are not affected by the grinding recession that has messed up the lives of Nigerians. It was this Okonjo- Iweala with Jonathan who wasted and stole much of the nation’s wealth leaving nothing with which PMB would carry out the functions of government. What this woman, Okonjo deserves is to be questioned along with former President Jonathan by the EFCC on what they did to the monies that accrue to our country, and after, summarily jailed!
SAM .A

This woman mismanaged the economy and all financial transaction during 6 years of Jonathan , the grand looting and pillage of Nigeria , the result of which you read daily in the news , and the subsequent recession Nigerians are facing today was her brain child . If the Ibos cannot get a better candidate , and another party presents a goat as their symbol they will beat her land slide . Time to do away with sentiment and emotion . That woman is a fraud , okonjonomics was a disaster for Nigeria,
- Gary
  
  Yes, the Igbo need a bettter candidate like the illiterate, old and sickly Fulani bigot currently running the country to your happiness.
  - Julius
    
    Yes and here you are a Phd holder !
- Tunsj
  
  Well stated!
- Really
  
  Now that you are enjoying your Tyrannical Cattle Fulanomics to its latest, all the best. OK
  - SAM .A
    
    Go back and check her economic record in Nigeria for 6 years under Jonathan year of the locust it was a disaster , and it is in fact the precursor of todays recession under PMB . Check how much that were stolen by Diezeani Maduike , Sambo and his Treasury looters etc , all these passed under her nose , she kept her fat lips shut . You read it daily and pretended . it did not happen . That is how to be a fake Nigeria , rumor monger and fake news manufacturer.
Truthometer

Why not? Biafraud presidency is opened now!
haba mallam

I dont think she was referring to Nigeria, it must be Biafra Republic, she was never a Nigerian to begin with, her entire life story was and is about Biafra, just read her statement of purpose to Havard.
obiora

I think this recession will go longer till you people will not have mouth to talk. We are Changing.
Jayeoba Gbenga

Do a thorough research about NOI before posting indecent comments……
Rommel

Knowing what we now know about her record breaking mismanagement of Nigeria’s economy,she will never win even gubernatorial elections.
Seye Tiamiyu

Okonjo Iweala is currently busy with projects influencing people’s life such as that of GAVI, however, her been the president would have been the greatest privilege of all.