Attacks on me over pictures with Tinubu show lack of unity in Nigeria — Okonjo-Iweala
The Director-General, World Trade Orgainsation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has called on Nigerians to relax and stay united, noting that the attacks on her over her picture with President Tinubu were unnecessary.
She noted that the controversy surrounding why her picture with President Tinubu was posted late on her Twitter account shows how polarised Nigerians are.
More images from the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris. With HE President @LulaOficial HE President @Macky_Sall HE President @CyrilRamaphosa and HE President @HHichilema #NewGlobalFinancingPact pic.twitter.com/xAavY01yxd
— Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (@NOIweala) June 23, 2023
Okonjo-Iweala was reacting to comments on social media about her pictures with other world leaders at the just concluded Paris Economic Summit as well as her picture with President Tinubu.
Some Nigerians called out the WTO leader for not posting a picture of President Bola Tinubu in the pictures of her meeting with some other nations’ presidents on her Twitter handle on Friday.
She later posted her picture with Tinubu on Saturday morning.
More images from the Paris Summit #NewGlobalFinancingPact. With HE President Ali Bongo @PresidentABO, HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT, HE President @WilliamsRuto and African Business moguls @Mo_IbrahimFdn @TonyOElumelu pic.twitter.com/TIRWCzgB7E
— Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (@NOIweala) June 24, 2023
Reacting, the WTO boss said the controversy has exposed how polarised Nigeria has become.
She tweeted: “Nigerians, please relax! Re Paris, Interesting attacks from both sides. This sadly shows the depth of polarisation in our society.
“I post photos in the order received by accompanying staff or colleagues. Reading more into it is unwarranted. Let’s unite to build our country, not attack.”
The Paris summit, convened by President Emmanuel Macron, afforded President Tinubu the opportunity of projecting, on a global stage, his advocacy for widening the fiscal space, economic justice for Africa as the world accelerates the pace of energy transition and the urgency of addressing the pressing issues of poverty and climate change.