Ezekwesili,
who is also a former Vice-President of the World Bank, however, said the focus
of the World Bank on the war-torn areas of the North-East was in order.
The
ex-minister said this in a series of tweets on her official Twitter handle on
Friday.
The
President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim, had at a press conference on
Thursday in Washington DC, United States, said that the bank had concentrated
on the northern Nigeria, in line with Buhari’s request.
The
revelation subsequently caused an outrage among several interests groups in
southern Nigeria.
In
her response, Ezekwesili stated that it was normal for the bank to focus on
areas ravaged by conflict. The ex-minister, however, argued that Buhari had in
the past portrayed himself as a sectional leader which had fuelled the current
controversy.
She
said, “The priority given to the North-East in discussion between Jim Yong Kim
and President Muhammadu Buhari is not unusual at all. Let’s not politicise it
please. I want everyone to know that the statement made by the World Bank
President is not as it sounds. I should know. I was VP there.
“As
a practice, post-conflict zones – e.g. Northern Uganda, Northern Central
African Republic, and Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo receive special
focus from the World Bank. It makes sense.
“As
the destabilisation in the North-East worsened Human Development Indicators in
North-East Nigeria, our country sadly joined that list. Our Africa strategy
when I became VP of World Bank 48 countries including Nigeria prioritised quick
reconstruction of post-conflict areas.
“The
current brouhaha is of course triggered by the context of existing tensions
occasioned by our president’s poor management of our diversity. The feedback
that President Buhari can take from the rage that his discussion with the World
Bank has triggered is to reflect on his ways.”
Ezekwesili
also lambasted the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity,
Femi Adesina, for insulting those who criticised Buhari.
“The
terribly indecorous press release by Femi Adesina worsens a fractious debate.
This Federal Government cannot be leaders of toxicity in public debates. No
matter the basis of people’s disagreement with their government, it must never
be pressured to the point of leading the way in insults,” she said.
Source: today.ng
