Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to the president
on media and publicity, says President Muhammadu Buhari will leave no stone
unturned in ensuring Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala becomes the director-general of the
World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s candidate in the WTO DG
process, is the favoured candidate to clinch the position.
However, the United States favoured South Korea’s trade
minister, Yoo Myung-hee, saying the WTO needs reform and must be “led by someone
with real, hands-on experience in the field”.
The trade organisation had initially set November 9 for a
general council meeting to select a new DG as a consensus is needed among its
members.
However, the WTO has postponed the meeting indefinitely.
Speaking on Sunday Politics, a Channels TV programme, Shehu
said the president has been reaching out to world leaders on the matter.
“President Buhari has been talking to all world leaders, at
some point, Ngozi had a list of those to be talked to, so President Buhari
talked to them, some to thank for being so strong in their support, some may be
to be encouraged to firm up their support for her candidacy and we are seeing
the result of this, ” Shehu said.
Shehu disclosed that the president had reached out to
President Donald Trump over Iweala’s candidacy, though he had not been briefed
about the outcome of the deliberation.
He assured that the government will intensify its efforts in
ensuring the former finance minister secures the post.
The more the Nigerian government gets involved the more they spoil the chances of appointing Okonjo-Iwela. The hitch was due to the lobby by Nigerian government which is seen to be corrupt by the international community. If Okonjo-Iwela denounces her sponsorship and support by this Government she may succeed. Okonjo-Iwela will not succeed if this Government continues to lobby. The world knows lobbying by Nigeria what it entails period.
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