By Oluwakemi Ishola
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance and Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that the country will explore every opportunity and deploy its entire energy to ensure that she becomes the next Director-General of World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Okonjo-Iweala is one of two candidates contesting for the top position of the multilnational institution.
Buhari, who received the former Managing Director (Operations) of the World Bank at the Presidential Villa, said she deserved more support to get the top job because of her profile and diligence in serving the country and the world.
The President in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, assured Okonjo-Iweala that he will make more phone calls, and send letters to some world leaders for more support.
In her remarks, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, a renowned Development Economist, thanked the President and his Ministers, particularly the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment for supporting her staunchly.
The former Minister of Finance also appreciated ECOWAS leaders for their endorsement, mentioning in particular, the outstanding contributions of President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic and immediate past Chairman of ECOWAS as well as President Alhassan Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire.
She asked the President to “make one final push within the week to beat the Koreans and bring this to Nigeria by sending a few letters and placing telephone calls to some world leaders, and also thank others for their support.’’
