NEWS
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Disqualified For The Post Of ‘World Trade Organisation Director General’ by African Union
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Former minister of finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been disqualified by the African Union from vying for the office of the Director General of the World Trade Organisation.
The executives of the AU in July 2019, invited members to present nominations into the office of the DG to the WTO
Initially, Fedrick Agah was nominated for Nigeria. On June 4, 2020, Nigeria withdrew her nomination and replaced with Okonjo-Iweala.
According from a memo released by the office of the legal counsel of the AU, Reference Number: BC/OLC/24/5056.20 dated June 15, 2020, The African Union says the nomination of Okonjo-Iweala violates Rule (11). 1, 2, and 3, Rule 12 and 15(3) of the rules of procedures of the committer.
The AU announced that its executives had endorsed the nomination of Fedrick Agah before Nigeria sought to substitute for Okonjo-Iweala.
The AU says that there are no more vacancies which Nigeria can make nominations for and that the nomination of Okonjo-Iweala did not meet the submission deadline.
The AU wrote, “It is a recognised principle of international law that a sovereign state has the right to substitute and replace a nomination of its citizens as it may wish for a position.
“However, the sovereign right does not endow that state any right to change existing rules, relevant decisions of the Executive Council and decisions of the policy organs of the union. A decision of the Executive Council should only be changed by another decision of the council not by any member state and a decision of the Assembly should be changed by a decision of the Assembly not by a member state.”
Do you think Fedrick Agah stands a chance against Okonjo-Iweala?
Who would have had better chances of being appointed?
Let’s hear your opinion in the comment section.
