Stella Okotete, the Nigeria Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank’s executive director of business development, has discussed how the Senate disqualified her from being nominated as a minister.
President Bola Tinubu referred Okotete to the Senate for review and confirmation as a ministry nominee.
However, the senate rejected Okotete, Nasir el-Rufai, a former Kaduna governor, and Danladi Abubakar, a Tabara state contender, alleging allegations of security breaches.
According to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the upper house of parliament was awaiting the three nominees’ security clearances.
Okotete was chosen to serve as the national women’s leader of the extraordinary convention planning committee (CECPC) and caretaker for the All Progressives Congress in 2020.
In a Saturday online interview with “Mic on Podcast,” Okotete said that the Senate’s rejection of her nomination was the result of “purely political games.”
If the former APC women’s leader posed a security risk to the nation, she stated she would not have continued to serve as a director of the NEXIM bank.
Okotete went on to say that no security agency in the nation is looking into her.
“I was not beaten out of the game of becoming a minister, I think some people tried to stop me from serving the country on a higher platform and they didn’t succeed,” she said.
“I’m sure, logically speaking, if I’m a security threat or I have security issues, I won’t still be the ED of NEXIM Bank.”
Okotete said those fighting her are doing so because of their fears that she may vie for the 2027 Delta governorship election.
She added that there is no such intention to join the race to the Delta state government house in 2027.
“Most of the people fighting Stelle Okotete today are all out of envy. I will be 40 years old in April,” she said
“At 40, who can say they have seen through all the tiers of the government, from LG to state and the federal government?
“At 36, I was the national woman leader for the party and still the executive director of NEXIM. I’m sure in Nigeria, there is no woman who has held two positions of such, simultaneously.
“It is all envy. I have made impact. I understand their fears and worries. I even told those who cared to listen that I don’t have the intention…
“Some of the fears are about 2027. You know how these politicians think. I’m not vying for governor of Delta state.”
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