TheCable

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has disowned a letter claiming she was threatened after a visit to President Bola Tinubu.

On Tuesday, Okonjo-Iweala visited Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.

Tuesday was the second time Tinubu and Okonjo-Iweala were meeting since the president assumed office on May 29.

The former minister of finance last met with the president in June when they both attended the leadership summit held in Paris, France.

Speaking after the meeting, Okonjo-Iweala said her visit was not in the capacity of the WTO DG.

Moments after the visit, a letter falsely credited to the WTO DG appeared on social media, especially WhatsApp.

In the letter, Okonjo-Iweala purportedly lamented how she had been allegedly receiving “toxic” calls and messages denigrating her for visiting the president.

“A visit I made for the good of our dear nation is what they are using to threaten my life and family. You don’t recognise someone as your president yet begging him to save you from the hands of killers in your region,” the viral letter reads.

Reacting to the letter, Okonjo-Iweala, in a Twitter post on Wednesday, said the statement was “falsely designed” to create mischief among Nigerians.

“It has just been brought to my attention that there is a false statement circulating on WhatsApp attributed to me saying that I am being attacked for my visit to President Tinubu,” she wrote.

“That statement circulating is false, in fact wickedly designed to create mischief among Nigerians. Please disregard the statement.”

It has just been brought to my attention that there is a false statement circulating on what’s app attributed to me saying that I am being attacked for my visit to President Tinubu. That statement circulating is false, Infact wickedly false designed to create mischief among…

— Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (@NOIweala) August 9, 2023