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Mr President, put a smile on my face – Okonjo-Iweala to Buhari
BY NICHOLAS ABE
Nigeria’s former Minister of the Economy and World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General hopeful, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to make one last push to put a smile on her face.
Okonjo-Iweala was at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, earlier Monday to visit with Buhari.
The WTO will in the first week of November decide between the South Korean candidate, Yoo Myung-hee and Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, after the race for the WTO DG which started with nine candidates was narrowed to the two female candidates.
“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.
“Mr President, put a smile on my face…I am very proud of the country,” Okonjo-Iweala, a former minister of foreign affairs and two-time minister of the economy in Nigeria, told President Buhari.
In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, President Buhari said Dr Okonjo-Iweala deserved more support to get the top job because of her profile and diligence in serving the country, and the world.
According to him, “I assure you that we will do all that we can to ensure that you emerge as the Director-General of WTO, not only because you are a Nigerian, but because you are a hardworking Nigerian. You deserve this.”
Assuring her that he would make more phone calls and send letters to some world leaders for more support, the President said, “I did the same for Dr Akinwunmi Adesina for President of the African Development Bank. Both of you served the country under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“You are both highly qualified. We will continue to support you. I will immediately make those calls.”
READ: WTO DG: It’s Okonjo-Iweala vs Myung-hee in the final
The president assured her that the country will explore every opportunity and deploy its entire energy to ensure that she becomes the DG of WTO.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala is one of the two candidates finally shortlisted to contest for the position of Director General of the WTO.
She was accompanied to the President’s office by the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo and the Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Mariam Katagu
She was a former Managing Director (Operations) of the World Bank and Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
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.
“I feel very proud of Nigeria. I am getting so much support from you, Mr President, Chief of Staff, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investments.
“The ministers have been working around the clock to ensure that I succeed,’’ she said.
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 Quattara of Cote d’Ivoire.