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Okonjo-Iweala has not bought any Federal Government house in Ikoyi
PRESS RELEASE
The attention of the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been drawn to several recent stories in the Nigerian press and on the internet regarding the sale of federal government properties in Lagos. One of the newspapers alleged that the Minister of Finance is one of the "beneficiaries" who purchased the federal government houses in Ikoyi, Lagos which were recently put up for sale..
THE STORY IS COMPLETELY INACCURATE. DR OKONJO-IWEALA HAS NOT PURCHASED AND HAS NO INTENTION OF PURCHASING ANY OF THE PROPERTIES IN QUESTION.
The truth is that the Minister of Finance was made an offer to purchase one of the listed houses but she declined. Dr Okonjo-Iweala has no intention of taking up the offer. She has not deposited even one naira for the alleged purpose and therefore the issue of her being a beneficiary does not arise.
Against this background, the various articles which have stated or suggested that the Minister of Finance expressed any interest in purchasing any of the houses or benefited in any way from the sale are not only without foundation but also very unfair to her. It is also important to note that both THE GUARDIAN and THE PUNCH have retracted their stories which had suggested that the Minister of Finance had anything to do with the said sale.
While the Minister fully supports a free and fair press, she is of the firm opinion that the peddling of unsubstantiated rumours is not only unprofessional but also destructive to the image of the Nigerian media and the nation.
Thank you.
Paul C Nwabuikwu
Special Assistant to the Minister of Finance