Buhari backs Okonjo-Iweala’s bid to become DG of WTO

Nigeria’s ruler, retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari has approved the nomination of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former coordinating minister for the economy, for the position of director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), TheCable can report.

Buhari withdrew the candidacy of Yonov Frederick Agah, Nigeria’s permanent representative to WTO, for the same position in a letter that read:

“The embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and permanent mission to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) presents compliments to all embassies and permanent missions in Addis Ababa and has the honour to inform that the Federal Government of Nigeria has withdrawn the candidacy of Ambassador Yonov Frederick Agah for election to the position of director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO),” the letter seen by TheCable read.

“Nigeria is therefore pleased to request the support of esteemed AU member states as well as permanent missions and embassies in Addis Ababa in favour of the candidacy of Okonjo-Iweala.”

Agah is Nigeria’s permanent representative to the WTO and WTO’s deputy director-general.

See document:

The election is scheduled to hold in Geneva, Switzerland in 2021 for a four-year term that would run from 2021 to 2025.