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Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has risen in defence of the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, following allegations from former CBN governor, Prof. Charles Soludo that N30 trillion was stolen under her watch.
Speaking to NAN in Abuja, Ribadu, who is also the PDP governorship candidate n Adamawa State, said: “I was baffled and got deluded for anyone to say that N30 trillion got lost. I think we just have to look at what we earn as a country and what our budget had been in these few years, and see how possible is it and if everything we earned is not up to that within the period she has been the minister, which is about three to four years.
“And for somebody to say that N30 trillion is missing is baffling, especially if you know what our budget is these years. We need to be careful to avoid more damage to our nation because there are certain things that when it comes out, it will never go back again”
“I challenge anybody to say that she stole N1 at that time; we were all there. I was in charge of EFCC and I want to hear anybody say that she did this and that.
“And I followed her up till now; I think it is somehow uncharitable for someone to come out to say that such an amount of money was missing under her watch”
Meanwhile, Okonjo Iweala has said that she would not join issues with Soludo,”because you don’t join issues when things don’t make any sense.”
Speaking on Ray Power on Tuesday, she said: “This is part of the packaged lies that Nigerians must avoid. I don’t want to enter into that debate, we have answered him (Soludo) and I don’t want to join issues with him because you don’t join issues when things don’t make any sense.”