…..I don’t have a godfather
Half a year has passed since her controversial ministerial screening unfolded, as Ms Stella Okotete, a former All Progressives Congress Women Leader, has shared her thoughts after months of absence from social circle.
Okotete made this disclosure in a YouTube interview monitored by PERISCOPE NIGERIA.
Recall that Okotete was one of the ministerial nominees but faced obstacle as she had an unsuccessful screening at the Senate.
Speaking for the first time after the unsuccessful ministerial bid via The Mic Podcast Okotete said,”I could be the first female president of Nigeria, I don’t have a godfather.”
Stella Erhuvwuoghene Okotete, was born on April 20th, 1984, in Warri, Delta State. Her academic journey is marked by a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from Benson Idahosa University (Nigeria), a Diploma in Law from the Rivers State College of Arts and Sciences (Nigeria), and a Master’s degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution from the National Open University of Nigeria and an ongoing Executive Master’s in Business Administration (EMBA) from the esteemed University of Abuja (Nigeria).
Her dedication to continuous learning is evident through numerous certificate programs from prestigious institutions such as Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government (USA), the University of Virginia (USA), INSEAD Business School (France), University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School (UK), Pan Atlantic University’s Enterprise Development Center (Nigeria), and Columbia Business School in New York (USA).
Volunteer Legal Practitioners Foundation for Morals and Values had written to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), demanding an investigation of her alleged non-declaration of assets and operating of companies while in active service, after Senate refused to confirm her.
They said this is in violation of the 5th schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The group made this demand in a letter dated July 31, 2023, addressed to the Chairman CCB, Prof. Mohammad Isah, and titled: “Petition against Stella Erhuvwu Okotete- the Executive Director (Business Development), NEXIM Bank and ministerial nominee.”
Signed by Ifeanyichukwu Obasi-Nweze, the group stated that they are a public policy advocacy group committed to upholding the morals and values of public officers and Nigerian Citizenry, in addition to the laws and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The civic organisation, which opposed the nomination of Okotete for ministerial appointment stated that she refused to declare her assets as required by law since she was appointed in 2015 as Executive Director of Nexim Bank, adding that in 2022 when she was already in violation, she surreptitiously smuggled in a purported declaration of assets to CCB.
The letter already acknowledged by CCB which SaharaReporters sighted on Monday, partly read: “We petitioned against Stella Erhuvwu Okotete to the Code of Conduct Bureau for investigation for nondeclaration of assets and operating of companies while in active service in violation of the 5th schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“In our petition dated 28th July 2022 and addressed to the Chairman Code of Conduct Bureau, we stated that Stella Erhuvwu Okotete refused to declare her assets as required by law since she was appointed in 2015 as the Executive Director (Business as Development), Nexim Bank; she surreptitiously smuggled in a purporting declaration of assets in 2022 when she was already in violation, and after she became aware that she was under investigation; even at that, the purporting declaration is far from listing her illegal acquisitions, both personal and by proxies.
“Attached herewith is the copy of the petition to the Code of Conduct Bureau dated 28 July 2022.”
