The Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), Abubakar Bagudu, has called on member states of the World Trade Organisation to support Nigeria’s candidate for the Director-General position of the world body.
The governor who commended President Muhammadu Buhari for nominating the former Minister of Finance for the position said in a statement on Wednesday that Okonjo-Iweala is needed for the job at this time that the organisation is struggling to deliver some of its objectives in Africa.
“Whoever imagined that one country can ‘seize’ medical supplies going to other countries? Fixing the global trading system is one of the most important challenges of our time and doing so shall contribute to global prosperity more than any agreement.
“In so doing, poverty shall be reduced and global prosperity shall be more equitably shared. Reforming the World Trade Organization is at the heart of any of such quest, and thus the choice of the next leader of the Organization matters.”
“In nominating our own Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, President Buhari is not just presenting a Nigerian candidate to the world but one of its best.
“An economist, international development expert and a global public servant, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is one candidate that comes with all the experiences and expertise required to reposition the WTO.
“Both President Buhari and Dr. Okonjo-Iweala deserve commendation for giving the world the opportunity towards correcting the distortions in the world trading system,” he said.
