Crude Oil Price, Jonathan left $30b, ten times what I met in office-Obasanjo tells Buhari
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to stop using dwindling crude prices as a reason for lack of performance.
According to Obasanjo, he met worse when he took power in 1999 from the military but made the best of it.
He reminded Buhari that unlike his administration that met a paltry $3.7 billion in the coffers of government, Goodluck Jonathan left behind a whopping $30 billion.
Obasanjo said “When I assumed office in 1999, I inherited $3.7 billion in reserve, while Buhari met $30 billion, almost 10 times of what I met then, and the price of oil then was $9. When it got to $20, I was dancing.
“I know the price is down now and with time, it will jump up again. What Buhari is doing currently is preparing ground for Nigeria to take advantage when it goes up again.”
Expressing angst against those asking him to account for recovered Abacha loot, Obasanjo described them as illiterates and silly people.
Speaking during an interview, Obasanjo said at the weekend that the role of his office was to facilitate the recovery process and not how it was put to use.
His words, “They said the money recovered from Abacha, I should account for it. What stupidity! The man who asked for it, the man who gave the judgment or who answered them are all silly, with due respect.
“I don’t keep account. All Abacha loots were sent to Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and every bit of it was reported to Minister of Finance. My job was to write where we can get help to recover the money.
“Every penny that comes out of it went to CBN, so if they want to know what happened to the money, they should call CBN governor or call the Minister of Finance.
“But again, it shows ignorance, total ignorance, which is lacking and you wonder, are these people educated?
They can also approach the man who helped us in recovering process to give the list of
money recovered and where he took it.”
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