The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Prof. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has issued a stern warning to Nigerian politicians, urging them to refrain from using her name and reputation for political disputes.
This cautionary message comes in response to a viral post falsely accusing her of criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s subsidy policy and the resulting increase in Nigeria’s debt. The fabricated post claimed, “I called several times to help and advise but the current administration and cabals refused to let me in. How can you remove fuel subsidy with a debt of N24trn in two months?”
In a tweet from her verified X handle on Monday, the former finance minister debunked the message, labeling it as fake. She expressed her disapproval, stating, “It appears that there are people in Nigeria trying to use my name and image on social media to fight battles on different sides of the political divide, putting words in my mouth that I never said.”
Okonjo-Iweala further emphasized, “Therefore, I want to alert everyone that the message is fake. This is a stern warning to all those trying to misuse my name for their political ends that I will continue to rebut any attempts to use my name and image falsely.”
Her statement serves as a clear message against the misuse of her identity for political agendas, affirming her commitment to maintaining her integrity and reputation.