Daily Trust (Abuja)
Abdu Labaran Malumfashi
4 August 2006
Abuja — Nigeria's Foreign Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, resigned yesterday. Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala who negotiated the cancellation of $30bn debt to the Paris Club, was switched in June from the Finance Ministry to Foreign Affairs. She had remained head of the economics team, but was this week replaced by the new Finance Minister, Nenadi Usman.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala's sudden resignation from her Foreign Ministry portfolio yesterday may not be unconnected with the dramatic change of fortunes she has experienced in a little over one month, a former colleague in the federal executive council told Daily Trust. But a colleague of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala's, who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmed to Daily Trust that the erstwhile foreign minister was "thoroughly disgusted with the shabby manner she was treated by the president" disclosing that her removal from the leadership of the economic team was effected while she was on an official trip abroad negotiating for Nigeria's exit from the London Club.
The source also disclosed that it took the persuasion of her husband to accept her redeployment from Finance to the foreign affairs ministry and even then, he had to personally escort her to her new office at the ministry. At the peak of her popularity, President Obasanjo, at a public function shortly after Nigeria secured a debt relief of 18 billion dollars from the Paris Club of creditors, called the then finance minister "a true daughter of Nigeria."
Announcing the resignation of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from her cabinet post, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief U.J. Ekaette, said in a statement that the president who accepted the resignation, regretted that the minister had to leave. He said: "At this state of our reform programme when various measures adopted by this administration were beginning to yield positive results."
The president, according to the acceptance letter to Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, acknowledged the "unparalled patriotism, dedication and loyalty" that she displayed throughout her tenure both as finance and foreign affairs minister. The president particularly, acknowledged "the monumental achievements recorded by Nigeria during your tenure as minister of finance and chairperson, economic management team, as well as the success of our reform programmes in the finance sector with clearly visible results being applauded worldwide and by all Nigerians."
Lamenting that the administration will miss the erstwhile minister, President Obasanjo, while wishing her success in her future endeavours, urged her to as a "patriotic Nigerian, continue to make positive contributions to the development of your beloved country." He was quoted as accepting Mrs Okonjo-Iweala's resignation "based on your compelling need to take care of pressing family issues".
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