Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s candidate for the World Trade
Organisation director-general election, says she is in need of volunteers for
her campaign.
In an interview with Arise TV, Okonjo-Iweala said some of
her friends have been helping with media work pro-bono.
If elected, Okonjo-Iweala would be the first African to
occupy the position.
“So far things are going well and I’m grateful for the
support of the government and Nigerians. I don’t have any PR firm working for
me. I have some friends who are helping with media work pro-bono because I
cannot afford to pay them. It would be nice to have some volunteers,” she said.
Her nomination had triggered slight controversy as President
Muhammadu Buhari approved her candidature as a replacement for Yonov Frederick
Agah, WTO deputy director-general and Nigeria’s former candidate for the
election.
Egypt and the AU’s office of legal counsel had opined that
Okonjo-Iweala’s nomination violated the candidature guidelines provided by the
AU.
However, the WTO disclosed that the former World Bank
managing director is eligible to run for the office.
The two-time minister of finance also described WTO’s
acceptance of her nomination as a testament of the faulty premise on which
opposition calls were made.
Okonjo-Iweala described herself as “the best woman for the
job”, saying the WTO needs a fresh pair of eyes to take on its leadership.
She expressed gratitude to the federal government, the
ministries of foreign affairs and trade, among others for their support.
The development economist described WTO as a critical global
organisation that needs to be reformed in key areas like dispute resolution,
adding that its effectiveness will be enhanced if it becomes more inclusive by
supporting women, MSMEs, among others.
She has received the endorsement of the Economic Community
of West African States (ECOWAS) and seeks to get the support of the African
Union (AU).
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com