Did Atiku lead Economic Management Team that paid off Nigeria’s debt?

Recently, a viral image showing Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had the claim that Mr. Abubakar who was Vice President at the time, led the Economic Management Team (EMT) that paid off Nigeria’s debt. 

Facts are:

The constitution recognizes the Vice President as the chair of the economic council, however, research shows that Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who is currently the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), led the EMT that cleared Nigeria’s Paris Club debt. 

According to her biography on the WTO’s website, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala who served as Minister of Finance twice (from 2003-2006 and 2011-2015), spearheaded negotiations with the Paris Club Creditors. 

“As Minister of Finance in Nigeria, she spearheaded negotiations with the Paris Club of Creditors that led to the wiping out of $30 billion of Nigeria’s debt, including the outright cancellation of $18 billion,” part of the biography reads.

This report also noted that Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala led the economic team of President Olusegun Obasanjo. 

Conclusion 

To say the Vice President was the chairman or head of the Economic Team/Council is correct but to say he led the conversation that led to the debt removal could be misleading.