From Suleiman Isah, Minna
The Federal Government says it would use all diplomatic relations at her disposal to ensure the emergence of Professor Okonjo-Iweala as the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation WTO because she is not only a candidate of Nigeria but a candidate of the world.
President Donald Trump of the United States has blocked the emergence of Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala as the first female and African person to head the global organisation after she obtained majority votes of Stakeholders last week.
But the Minister of state for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Zubairu Dada in an interview with some newsmen in Minna, the Niger state capital said Nigeria would continue to push through for the final election of Okonjo-Iweala.
According to him Nigeria will continue to use all her friends including the United States to get final support for the country’s candidate, stressing also that Okonjo-Iweala is not going to be the candidate of anybody on the seat ,“she will be the candidate of the world and she has the requisite qualification to sit on the chair.
“Between now and the 9th of November when a final decision will be taken we will embark on subtle diplomacy, we will use all our friends to get favourable support for Okonjo-Iweala.
“U.S is also our friend, we regard them as our friend and relate with them as such, so we know as friends they will in the final analysis support our course,” Dada declared.
Speaking on the face-off between some Nigerian businessmen and the government of Ghana over establishment of businesses, the minister disclosed that the dispute has since been addressed by both the Nigeriaand the government of Ghana.
” We are pursuing the matter slowly we have encouraged Nigerians to remain loyal, peaceful and respect constituted authorities and also allow dialogue to solve the problem.”
On the stakeholders meeting held in Minna at the weekend, the minister said the outcome of the meeting was quite successful as most of the issues raised were not new to anyone and promised that all the demands would be articulated and presented to the appreciate authority.
The stakeholders meeting was very successful and it has shown us the best way to tackle some of the challenges facing our people, the President Muhammadu Buhari will attend to the issues raised especially roads and electricity supply,” he concluded.
