Leadership (Abuja)
24 August 2008
More Nigerians, both at home and in the Diaspora, have continued to call for the sack of embattled director-general of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Prof. Ndi Okereke-Onyuike, stating that her fundraiser for the Barack Obama campaign smacks of " an attack on decency and commonsense everywhere in the civilised world".
Okereke-Onyiuke, who has been quizzed by the EFCC, has said that her action was not in bad taste considering that the fund was meant for the sensitisation of Nigerians abroad who may not want to "go out and vote for Obama".
She said she was aware of the United States electoral laws which forbid candidates from taking money from external donors, and that the money was for the advertisement needed to sensitise US-based Nigerians.
Her explanations notwithstanding, many commentators have said she erred. A Nigerian living in the US said Okereke has ridiculed "those of us here. We go about these days with our head bowed because we get to be asked all sorts of questions by people. There is considerable confusion. Our country is so impoverished and she is raising monies for Obama?"
Giving his name as Justice, the US resident noted that "Barack or the Nigerians living in the US do not need that kind of money from this poor country. Why did she not raise money for other lofty causes like diseases, education and unemployment?"
Justice told LEADERSHIP SUNDAY that he was in the country to attend a seminar on job opportunities in the US and Europe. "I can't believe my eyes and what I'm seeing. There is crushing poverty everywhere. So you can understand the level of anger in the land when that woman made such fraudulent fundraiser."
Another US-based Nigerian, Herbert Shayi, said that "in other climes, Okereke-Onyiuke would have been sacked for engaging in politics".
He said that the future of the stock exchange business in Nigeria is endangered. According to him, no true stock exchange should be tinged with politics.
He noted that the action of Okereke-Onyiuke has joined Nigeria with US politics. "If the Republicans win this election, I wonder how they would view this country. Her action has placed us squarely on the US ballot," he said.
Others who spoke said Okereke-Onyiuke has run the NSE aground with her foray into politics.
Okereke-Onyiuke had also raised money for the re-election of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003.
Others who spoke opined that the NSE boss should resign from office, having compromised her oath of office.
They also want more investigation into the whole scandal. According to Herbert, effort must be made by the media to "dig deeper into the whole gaffe".
Herbert wants the banks that collected the Obama cash probed. He said there is need to establish the facts of what the money was really meant for and those who donated it.
EFCC has already begun a search on the banks currently holding onto the monies raised by Okereke-Onyiuke.
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