Trump spoke on DW today around 9am on why America is kicking against Ngozi Iweala. He gave three reasons for standing against her emergence:
1. That Iweala came through a dubious process. According to him, there was a Nigerian man who was the deputy DG for years and had acquired enough experience to run the affairs of WTO as the DG. As a matter of fact, the man was nominated to the congress and filed in as a nominee before Mrs. Iweala came in through the back door as his replacement when the period for registration of nominees was closed. “We are America, we stand for the truth and cannot support a candidate who came through a dubious process”
2. The WTO comprises of 164 countries and the fact that Mrs. Iweala is rumoured to have been endorsed by 106 countries isn’t reason enough for the congress to start spreading the news of her emergence before the November 9th that has been scheduled for the official announcement. That the congress has taken so much delight in going public about her shows they have a particular interest they are pursuing using her as the face of their interest. The US will do everything to unravel the hiding agenda of the congress before November 9.
3. The US cannot secund to decisions made by China. If Iweala emerges, the most sensible position of the deputy DG’s is going to China which is something the US cannot allow to happen. “We are still battling with the Chinese virus and we don’t know what handing a Chinese such a function will create.”
While I pray we win and bring it home for Africa, Trump raised critical issues.
Copied from Helen Samuel’s FB wall
BACKGROUND TO AMERICA’S REJECTION OF OKONJO IWEALA
US govt opposes madam Iweala insisting that her candidacy seems to have been sneaked in through the back door. Recall that Egypt had protested the candidacy of Iweala on grounds that with Yonov’s withdrawal Nigeria had forfeited her chances.
Find below a profile of Yonov Agah copied from John Ogbodo’s wall on FB:
Hailing our Benue Born Outgoing Deputy Director General, WTO
Yonov Frederick Agah
Yonov Frederick Agah began his first term as Deputy Director-General of the WTO on 1 October 2013. He has been reappointed for a second four-year term, starting on 1 October 2017.
Yonov Frederick Agah was appointed as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the WTO in 2005. In that capacity, he served as the Alternate Chief Negotiator for the Doha Round and Head of Nigeria’s Trade Office to the WTO in the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations Office in Geneva. The Trade Office is responsible for Nigeria’s participation in Geneva-based trade-related international organizations, particularly the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the World Intellectual Property Organisation, the International Trade Centre and the WTO.
Mr Agah served as Chair of the WTO’s General Council in 2011. He was responsible for organizing the Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference, which was acknowledged to be successful despite the prevailing stalemate in the Doha Round. He has also served as Chair of the following WTO bodies: Dispute Settlement Body in 2010, the Council for Trade in Services in 2009, the Trade Policy Review Body in 2008, the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights in 2007, and the Council for Trade in Goods in 2006. He was also the Chair of the Council for TRIPS, Special Session, in 2013.
Mr Agah has previously worked as a lecturer at Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna (1979-81), senior features writer/circulation manager, Benue Printing and Publishing Corporation (1982-84), Sales Manager, Benue Bottling Company Limited (1984-87), Field Manager, UTC Nigeria PLC (1990-91), Deputy Director (multilateral) (1991-2001) and Director (external trade) (2002-05).
Mr Agah holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. He obtained a Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (International Trade) from the University of Jos, Nigeria, in 1989 and 2007 respectively. His d
octoral dissertation was on “Trade Policy Reform and Economic Growth in Nigeria Since 1986”. Mr Agah also obtained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Abuja, Nigeria, in 2009. He has contributed to various books and journals.