By BASHIR ADEFAKA
With the widespread expectations of the emergence of former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Buhari Media Organisation notes that the goodwill she presently enjoys across the globe in her bid for the position is attributable to the avowed integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari among world leaders.
The MBO said this in a statement issued in Abuja and jointly signed by its Chairman, Mr. Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Mr. Cassidy Madueke.
“We note that from a list of twelve candidates the number was narrowed to five, and Nigeria’s support for her candidacy remains strong even as she squares off with her South Korean challenger for the top WTO job.
“BMO notes that the President has demonstrated his patriotism and unbiased disposition to all Nigerians by supporting Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s candidature ab initio. This is despite the fact that she served as a minister under two different Peoples Democratic Party administrations that stridently worked against the emergence of Buhari as president between 2003 and 2015.
“We also acknowledge that under President Muhammadu Buhari Nigeria has been gaining global recognition, especially with the election of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina as the president of the African Development Bank; Alhaji Tijani Muhammad- Bande as the president of the United Nations General Assembly since September 2019, and now Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, who is on the verge of clinching the position of director-general of World Trade Organisation.
“We note that Okonjo-Iweala has emerged from being Nigeria’s candidate to the West African candidate and now has become the African candidate. This is a significant achievement and the endorsement of Okonjo-Iweala by the European Union and other world bodies has given her an edge over her competitor. We believe that with her background as a former World Bank Managing Director she is well-positioned to emerge victorious. It is also worthy of note that during her tenure as Nigeria’s minister of Finance she worked assiduously for the debt relief Nigeria secured from international creditors.
“We, therefore, believe that if she successfully emerges she will re-energise the economy of the African continent in general, and Nigeria in particular by helping to push for more favorable trade agreements and concessions. This will no doubt bring prosperity to the black race.”
