In a diplomatic note through Nigeria's mission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which hosts the AU headquarters, Mr Buhari had last Thursday announced
President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of a former minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for the position of the director-general of the World Trade Organisation puts Nigeria in a precarious position in the African regional and international politics. This decision may make it difficult for Nigeria to secure pan-African endorsements for its candidates for positions in transnational bodies for five years. It may also affect the country’s diplomatic communication links.
Mr Agah was already shortlisted alongside two other African candidates for the WTO’s DG position by the Executive Council of the AU before Mr Buhari’s decision to replace him with Mrs Okonjo-Iweala on Thursday. Mr Agah’s nomination was seen as backing him to the zenith of the organisation, having already held a senior leadership role there. He oversees the organisations, development division, institute for training and technical cooperation and trade policies review division.
So, while African member states of transnational bodies are free to nominate their nationals for positions at such bodies, they have agreed to cooperate on presenting common candidatures for positions in the international system. “Pursuant to that Decision, Ministry of Foreign Affairs obtained the approval of His Excellency, Mr. President for the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to nominate a competent Nigerian candidate for approval and submission to the AU Committee on Candidatures within the International System before the closing date of 30th November 2019,” explained a source with inside knowledge.
Egypt, in a memo circulated in Addis Ababa on Friday, requested the AU to “officially inform the African Group” that Nigeria has no candidate and so “Abdulhameed Mamdouh of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Eloi Laourou of the Republic of Benin are currently the only two endorsed African candidates” in the race.
Mr Nwonye, spokesperson for Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry, did not comment when contacted on Sunday over the possible risks involved in Nigeria’s nomination of Mrs Okonjo-Iweala. “I can’t make any statement now,” he said, but assured Abuja would make a statement during the week “certainly”. “I think it’s possible for the West to rally behind Okonjo-Iweala,” he said. But he fears the possibility of Mr Adesina’s failure at AfDB. This is amid concerns Mrs Okonjo-Iweala’s WTO candidacy has the backing of AfDB’s non-African shareholders, mainly the U.S., opposing Mr Adesina.
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