Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has slammed Oby Ezekwesili, Nigeria’s former Minister of Education, for criticizing his earlier claims about being the head of the Economic Management Team (EMT) during Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate had previously boasted about playing a major role in designing a private sector revival strategy and opening the economy to private sector investments in several sectors.
Atiku made the claims while speaking to business stakeholders at the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) event in Lagos on Monday.
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, Atiku noted via his verified Twitter page.
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
However, in response to the 2023 PDP presidential candidate’s claim, Ezekwesili, who served as a Minister during the administration, urged Atiku to stop misleading the public through his social media handlers.
Atiku’s claims, according to the former minister, are false.
But in a swift reaction, Atiku through his spokesman, Paul Ibe, accused the former minister of resorting to ‘jaded ‘aproko’ pettiness.
Ibe then asked Ezekwesili to explain Atiku’s position if it wasn’t what he claimed in his first post.
Ibe tweeted:
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.
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?
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
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