N37 billion? Miss me with that change! Sadiya Farouq, the former humanitarian minister who couldn’t find a single hungry person in Nigeria, suddenly develops amnesia when asked about a contractor accused of laundering enough cash to buy the entire country a lifetime supply of agbado.
Sadiya is pulling a “Who dis?” on a certain James Okwete, the alleged N37 billion laundering magician. Apparently, knowing him is like owning a pet goldfish – you vaguely remember feeding something once, but details are hazy.
Is it a coincidence that the EFCC is also poking around three other Buhari ministers? Probably not, but hey, at least we have enough popcorn for the show!
From Minister to Mastermind: Okwete’s Guide to “How to Spend Government Money (and Not Get Caught)”
Who needs one company when you can have 53? Okwete wasn’t playing Monopoly, he was rewriting the entire rulebook! Federal government contracts galore, enough companies to make a corporate hydra jealous, and a bank account that laughs in the face of decimal points. This guy wasn’t securing contracts, he was building empires (of questionable legality, of course).
The Bureau de Change operators must be singing the blues after Okwete allegedly treated their shops like his personal ATM. N6.7 billion later, they’re left wondering if they’re in the money-changing business or the disappearing-money business.
What Sadiya Said
Reacting to the reports linking her to the contractor, Sadiya said Okwete is “completely unknown to her”.
“There have been a number of reports linking me to a purported investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the activities of one James Okwete, someone completely unknown to me,” her statement reads.
“James Okwete neither worked for, nor represented me in any way whatsoever. The linkages and associations to my person are spurious.
“While I resist the urge to engage in any media trial whatsoever, I have however contacted my Legal Team to explore possible options to seek redress on the malicious attack on my person.
“I remain proud to have served my country as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with every sense of responsibility and would defend my actions, stewardship and programmes during my tenure whenever I am called upon to do so.”