OKONJO-IWEALA SAYS SHE NEVER TALKED ABOUT BRIBE

Reacting to the misunderstanding via her Twitter handle, Okonjo-Iweala said rather than reporting the facts contained in the book, “mischief makers are trying to distort” what is written in it.

She said the N17 billion in question was an additional fund added to the lawmakers’ budget and not a bribe.

Okonjo-Iweala wrote: “In the case of the N17billion, the book does not talk of bribe. It indicates that lawmakers increased the budget by N17 billion and we had to accept that to move on; hence, the term “price to pay”.

“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!

“Lies obscure the country’s problems and do not allow us to improve. 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.”