Director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has debunked a statement credited to her that she said former President Goodluck Jonathan was “overpowered” by governors and that President Muhammadu Buhari was doing well.
The false statement had read, “I didn’t expect President Buhari to do well at the pace he is doing now. Goodluck Jonathan was overpowered by the Governors’ Forum. The moment they heard that we have money, they would come with so many bogus demands and if Goodluck Jonathan refused, they would claim all kinds of laws or bring in politics.
“Anyone blaming or criticizing President Buhari doesn’t know the situations he met the country. President Buhari is doing marvellously well and needs to be commended.”
However, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that she did not initiate the statement.
“Please be aware: This is one of the periodic pieces of information circulated about me which I absolutely did not initiate. Those proliferating fake news, be warned!” she wrote.
Okonjo-Iweala was minister of finance during the Jonathan administration.
Her rebuttal comes about a week after an interview where Buhari said he had done his best for Nigeria and that even if he was not appreciated now, posterity would.
