Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and Prof.Ndidi Okereke- Onyiuke

ABUJA—EMBATTLED former Director General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE,  Prof.Ndidi Okereke- Onyiuke, yesterday, denied that billions of naira were missing at the NSE under her watch.

Onyiuke, who appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market said her sack by the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, last week, was politically motivated.

The suspended President of the exchange, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who appeared before the Committee later, said he did not want to make any public comment so as not to jeopardize ongoing investigation into the matter.

He noted: “I don’t want to talk on this issue now. The matter is under investigation, and what I say may affect the investigation. So, please bear with me.”

But Onyiuke who used the opportunity availed her to plead her innocence, insisted that the account of the Exchange was intact and that no shareholder had ever complained over how the money of the Exchange was controlled.

The former director general who was emotional in her  self-defence, said she had been quiet because she did not want to “kill the baby” she gave birth to.

She said: “Whatever allegations that have been made have very little or nothing to do with the Stock Exchange accounts. The account of the Stock Exchange is very much in order. I have worked there for 28 years, and at no time had my integrity ever been put to question.

“I have been taught to be a straight forward, honest person and I had a lot of high integrity so I would not be associated with an institution that is riddled with fraud, or where I would see something wrong and close my eyes. I would consider what you have seen in the papers as political, and I will give details later on.

“My role in keeping quiet is that of the woman in the Bible, when King Solomon wanted to divide the child because two women were struggling for that child. I am the woman that owned that child; I would rather not destroy the capital market because of my personal self interest. I would rather take any heat that comes to me rather than destroy the child that I have created.

“I have been carrying the Nigerian Stock Exchange, not only at this point, but since I got back to Nigeria from the New York Stock Exchange. I was there for only eight years, but I have been in the Nigerian Stock Exchange for 28 years. It is like my own child so I would rather not say and do things that would put more heat in the market or destroy the institution of the capital market, because my whole life is there.

Thoroughbred professional

“I don’t do contracts; I don’t do any other business except the Stock Exchange. I am a thoroughbred professional, I have been trained properly and part of that training had nothing to do with stealing, or appropriating what does not belong to me.

“I am honest as far as honesty is concerned, and if there is anything said that somebody can be neat as a whistle, I could say I am one of those.  I just want say to the public that no money is missing in the stock exchange, and nobody has complained. Shareholders in the exchange are not complaining.

“I would give details of this to honourable members after today, I would also want to make myself available anytime you would want to ash me anything.”

After her brief remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Umar Buba Jibrin, chased out the Press, saying he did not want anyone to misquote him or anyone appearing before the committee.