Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has wondered why the United States President, Donald Trump, is always against Nigeria’s candidates at global organisations.
Naija News reports that the US had kicked against the emergence of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next Director-General of the World Trade Organisation.
The Trump administration had backed South Korean Trade Minister, Yoo Myung-hee for the WTO top job.
You may also recall that the US had also worked against the reappointment of Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, Nigeria’s former Minister of Agriculture as the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Governor Obaino charged President Muhammadu Buhari to do all he can to stop Donald Trump from frustrating the emergence of Okonjo-Iweala as the WTO DG.
He made this known in a statement titled, ‘WTO DG: A Call on President Buhari and African leaders to step up diplomatic offensive’, signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C-Don Adinuba, on Thursday.
He called on Buhari and other African leaders to support Okonjo-Iweala, who is the most qualified and the most popular candidate.
“The people and government of Anambra State, therefore, call upon President Muhammadu Buhari and other African leaders to immediately set in motion the machinery to get the United States to do the right thing by supporting the most qualified and the most popular candidate,” the statement reads in part.
“The Trump administration wants South Korean Trade Minister, Yoo Myung-hee, who has the support of only 55 nations, about 50 per cent of Okonjo-Iweala’s vote. It needs not to have its way.
“Earlier this year it opposed the re-election of Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, Nigeria’s former Minister of Agriculture and African Union’s choice, as the African Development Bank President based on unsubstantiated allegations like nepotism.
“It is difficult to understand why the Trump administration should be on a collision course with Africans on international assignments.
“In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in May, the administration announced it was severing relations with the World Health Organisation led by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, an Ethiopian, accusing the organisation of being China’s lackey, the same charge it levels against the WTO.
“Acts like this help fuel criticism that the administration may not be free of racism.
“The people and government of Anambra State are of the opinion that President Buhari needs to do more to urgently mobilise not just African leaders, but also the EU and, indeed, the rest of the world to get the United States to do the right thing.”
source https://www.naijanews.com/2020/10/30/okonjo-iweala-trump-on-a-collision-course-with-africans-obiano/
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