AU legal counsel says WTO Okonjo-Iweala's nomination violates continental rules

The African Union has disqualified Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from vying for the office of the Director General of the World Trade Organisation.

In July 2019, the Executive Council of the AU invited member states to present nominations into the office of the DG of the WTO so that the AU would agree on a consensus candidature.

Nigeria initially nominated Fedrick Agah while Benin and Egypt fielded Messrs Eloi Laourou and Abdulhameed Mamdouh respectively. However, on June 4, 2020, Nigeria withdrew the nomination of Fedrick Agah and replaced him with Okonjo-Iweala.

In a document from the Office of the Legal Counsel of the African Union, the African Union says the nomination of Okonjo-Iweala violates laid down rule of the union.

The AU says its Executive Council had endorsed the nominations of Fedrick Agah, Eloi Laourou and Abdulhameed Mamdouh before Nigeria sought to substitute its nomination.