WTO: Buhari speaks with European Council president over Okonjo-Iweala

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria will not relent until the goal of the country’s candidate emerging director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is achieved.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s candidate for WTO DG, was named the most preferred candidate on Wednesday.

In a tweet on Friday, Buhari said he had a video conference with Charles Michel, president of the European Council, during which he thanked the latter for the EU’s support for Okonjo-Iweala.

“Today, I held a video conference with the President of the European Council, Mr Charles Michel. I thanked the Council for its support for @NOIweala, Nigeria’s candidate for position of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation. We will not relent until the goal is achieved,” Buhari wrote.

Today I held a video conference with the President of the European Council, Mr Charles Michel. I thanked the Council for its support for @NOIweala, Nigeria’s candidate for position of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation. We will not relent until the goal is achieved.

— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) October 30, 2020

Also, according to a statement signed by Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Michel assured Buhari of the EU’s support.

“Charles Michel reiterated Europe’s support for Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO),” the statement read.

“Buhari is leading Nigeria’s charge for Okonjo-Iweala, the country’s former minister of finance, to emerge as the first black and female WTO DG.”

Meanwhile, the WTO general council will reconvene on November 9, 2020 for a final decision on who becomes the next DG of the organisation.