Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has disowned a WhatsApp message circulating online that claims she is wooing investors for Nigeria using President Tinubu’s policies as bait.
In the message, which Okonjo-Iweala denounced as fake, she purportedly stated her intention to bring investors to Nigeria, citing President Tinubu’s policies as a catalyst for economic growth.
However, taking to her official X account, Okonjo-Iweala clarified that the message is a fabrication, emphasizing that she does not use the WhatsApp broadcast feature. She labeled the circulated content as another instance of “fake news” and urged the public not to rely on such misinformation.
“It’s been brought to my attention that another FAKE message has been manufactured and is being forwarded on WhatsApp in my name,” she stated.
“I want to make clear that this fake message is not from me. I am pleased that those who know me instantly recognized this as fake.”
Expressing concern over the proliferation of false information on social media, Okonjo-Iweala cautioned against the spread of such misleading messages. She warned those behind the fabrication of fake messages that their attempts to deceive the public would not succeed.
“Please be aware that I do not use WhatsApp broadcasts, thus anything forwarded to you purporting to be a WhatsApp message from me is FAKE,” she emphasized.
“This is a bad example of the use of social media. I want to warn those in the business of manufacturing FAKE messages, that they will not succeed”
