Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), has issued a strong warning against the unauthorized use of her name and image in political conflicts. This comes after false claims surfaced on social media regarding her alleged criticism of Nigeria’s current administration.
A recent Facebook post falsely attributed critical comments to Okonjo-Iweala, suggesting she disapproved of the economic decisions made by President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The post alleged that she criticized the removal of the fuel subsidy amid a reported rise in national debt to N24 trillion within two months.
The fake post quoted Okonjo-Iweala as saying, “I call several times to help and advise but the current administration and cabals refuse to let me come in. How can you remove fuel subsidies with a debt of 24 trillion in 2 months?”
In response, Okonjo-Iweala took to her official Twitter account to denounce the misuse of her name and image. She emphasized that the statements attributed to her were false and warned against using her reputation for political purposes.
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“THIS IS IMPORTANT- 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,” she wrote. “Therefore, I want to alert everyone that the message below 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!”
Okonjo-Iweala reiterated her commitment to her role at the WTO and her focus on global economic issues. She stressed the importance of maintaining her professional integrity and not allowing her name to be dragged into partisan political disputes.
The spread of misinformation involving prominent figures like Okonjo-Iweala highlights the growing concern over fake news and its potential to mislead the public. As social media platforms continue to play a significant role in shaping public opinion, the need for vigilance and accurate information becomes increasingly critical.
